


Salacious Passions

by Sakuraiai



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Collars, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Galra Keith (Voltron), Leashes, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ownership, Pets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-03-15 15:37:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 40,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13616400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakuraiai/pseuds/Sakuraiai
Summary: When the Galran's reached earth, Voltron defended it.Those who didn't die were enslaved, kept as pets for humans whimsy.Years later, human student Lance McClain accidentally bought the Galran Keith. Not knowing the first thing about how to look after an alien, he didn't know what to do.But he didn't expect to fall in love.Keith just wanted to get away from the hell that was the Zarkon Auction House. But he was half human, and half Galran, and no one liked half breeds. He hadn't expected to be bought by the infuriatingly beautiful Cuban, Lance McClain.And he sure as hell didn't expect to fall for the man.With impromptu living situations, a half human brother, and an infuriating tail that did not listen to reason. Maybe being bought was the best thing that had ever happened to them both.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a taster of what's to come.  
> This will be updated in the next few weeks, so don't expect many updates just yet!

Sunrise.

This was a beauty for one familiar second, recognised by everyone as the scorching sun rose to kiss the sun with its heavenly flow. The school building was barren, showering itself with only a few students walking along the corridors in a slow pace towards their respected classrooms.

A slight morning breeze picked up, drifting through the immense crowd of students standing in a large circle in the trodden grass outside of the main building of the large school. In the middle of the circle were three men, one tall, handsome, long legged Cuban man stood at one side, with his arms crossed over his toned chest. Opposite him was a thin red headed man, whimpering lightly, holding a hand to his bruising cheek, staring up at the intense yellow and purple eyes of the purple skinned alien standing between them, glaring at him with a thunderous rage.

The aliens’ large bat like ears flicked back over his long black hair. He stood tall, mouth in a snarl, showing off his sharp fang like teeth. Turning his head from side to side, working out the cramp kinks from the thick leather collar around his neck, held back by a leash to the Cuban standing behind him.

The Cuban man ran a hand through his dark brown hair, drawing his hands over his exasperated coffee skinned face, deep dark blue eyes watching the two men before him. His attention turned to the purple skinned man standing before him, feeling a shudder go through him as he saw the thick tail curling around his feet, keeping him safe…like always.

How did this even happen again?

He peered over the alien, giving the red head a guilty look, because he _knew_ this was completely his fault. The red headed man looked up at him, giving him a look of being betrayed.

His gaze returned to the purple skinned alien. His friend. _His pet._

_Urgh,_ he hated that. But that was exactly what he was.

“Keith,” he said slowly, his voice clear as a bell as he tried to reason with the purple skinned alien. “You can’t be like this every single time, you knew it was an accident,”

Keith growled, his snarl looking all the more furious as he glared ferocious daggers at the red headed man before him.

“He knows the consequences, Lance.” Keith replied, in a tone that made Lance tremble, like it always did.

His eyes were dark now, the yellow surrounding the beautiful purple irises, swirling like a foreign pool. Lance felt them when they panned over to him, before rolling back over and clouding with animal like fury at the red head.

They made Lance shiver, those eyes. He had tried to look elsewhere, to notice his carelessly strewn dark hair – with a mullet, in this day and age, who was he kidding? – all the way down to his black shirt that was strained against the push of his chest. And those jeans, especially the way they hugged his thighs.

But no, Lance couldn’t focus on anything other than those otherworldly eyes. They should have freaked him out, and they had when he first saw Keith. But they were just so gorgeous…it was hard to look away.

The red head trembled visibly, pressing his hand to the bruise on his cheek, where Keith had hit him. “Look you freak, I didn’t mean to, I just brushed by…”

Lance’s eyes widened, did he just? “What did you call him?”

“I called him a freak,” The red head replied with a withering confidence. He had thought Lance would be on his side, but when he saw Lance’s eyes darken with a similar rage as the alien, he trembled all the more. He had really hit the deep end with these two freaks; the dude who bought a pet to school, and the alien freak that was happy to be leashed up.

Keith held his hand out, stopping Lance from advancing.

“Silence,” He said in that deep voice, which rubbed Lance’s nerve endings in all the right ways. He quivered at the sound.

“Look man, I didn’t mean to,” The red head said, his voice quaking with each word he spoke. He knew exactly who Keith was, and what he was capable. And though the alien was a freak, _a Galran pet,_ he still feared for his life. “I was an accident—”

Keith’s fist slammed into the red heads face with the force of a pile driver, sending him into a dizzy spin, knocking him out cold. He crumpled to the ground, deadweight, and unconscious.

Lance tugged on the leather leash, pulling Keith back over to him. He reached for Keith then, holding onto his arm. “Keith, did you really have to hit him?”

Keith looked down to Lance’s fingers grasping at his arms, and he growled low in his throat.

“No one is allowed to touch you like that again,” he said slowly, his voice heated with rage. “That was our promise,”

Then he turned abruptly, walking away from the knocked out redhead. The crowd parting for him as he passed.

“God damn it Keith!” Lance yelled, it had been an accident, the red head had been an asshole, but he had been flirting with him.

Lance wasn’t a stranger to a bit of flirting, but it was when he had started touching his arm, playing with his hair and leaning in, that Lance had gotten uncomfortable. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for Keith appearing, he didn’t know what would have happened.

He was a good fighter, but the man had been much larger.

He followed Keith, tugging onto the leash to stop him, but Keith didn’t listen to him, dragging him along by his neck. Instead, Lance sighed, following Keith, not wanting him hurt any more than he already was. He took one look at the fallen man, and honestly did not feel sorry for him.

Looking ahead, he let out another sigh. _No one is allowed to touch me like that, eh?_ He thought to himself, watching those ears flick back and forth as they made their way through the courtyard and into the school building.

_What if I want you to touch me like that?_

How did he get into this mess in the first place!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing against Nyma...I just needed a name...

_Some days earlier..._

 

Bored.

Lance let out a sigh of exhaustion. Sitting on his small chair, the large long desk near the front of the classroom, surrounded by two of his best friends as he scribbled nonsensical words onto a lined piece of paper, doodling every once in a while as his friends spoke to him.

The teacher at the front of the classroom barely paid attention to them as he rifled through his bag, talking to students as they made their way to him.

“Seriously?” A pretty tanned skinned Shay asked, leaning over Lance and the large Samoan man sitting on the other side. “You can adopt a Galran?”

“Yup, it’s pretty weird,” Hunk replied, his face blanching at the thought. “I mean like you buy them, and then you have to pay for their expenses and stuff, but they are legally your property,”

“That’s just sick,” Shay muttered, sticking her tongue out.

Lance raised his dark blue gaze to the fair haired woman sitting to his right, who was currently scribbling what was written on the board. “Whatever, my Galran is so perfect; he treats me like a princess!”

“That’s because you force him to!” Hunk replied, gaze narrowing angrily. “It’s against all morality!”

“Don’t tell me you’re a ‘Galran are people too’ activist,” the fair skinned woman said, pointing the tip of her pen at them. “You know they almost invaded our planet right? They’re the bad guys,”

“That was like fifty years ago!” Shay replied, her hands tightening to fists. “And not all Galran’s are bad, they just had a bad leader! The same could be said for Hitler, and Stalin, and that orange haired dictator,”

Lance sighed, laying his head onto his refill pad, wanting to slam against the cold hard wood of the seminar room tables to rid him of what his friend was surely about to say next.

Pidge leaned over Shay, having heard the commotion and, as an activist herself, especially after what happened to her brother, she was eager to see more about these Galran’s and their ‘pet domiciles’.

“We’re going to go check this place out, Lance.”

“Pidge, do we have to?” He sighed, holding his head in his hands as he stared at his eager friends.

Pidge narrowed her gaze at him. “Don’t you want to finally figure out the real truth about Galrans?”

Shay nodded, laying her hands on the desk in front of Lance. “We need to make sure people know how they are treating other kinds,”

“I agree, what if the Galran’s revolt?” Hunk continued, “Or are you the kind of person who doesn’t care about our world?”

_Low blow, Hunk…_

“Th-that's not true—” Lance was quick to object, tapping his pen on his half-filled notepad.

“So we’ll go?” Hunk asked, laying his pen down on his paper and turning his attention fully to the conversation. He prodded his best friend on his shoulder. Lance veered his concentration from what he was writing to his friend.

“I don’t know—”

Shay interjected. “We’ve known you forever Lance,”

Lance held the pen top to his bottom lip, deep in thought. “But I don’t want to…look at them.” He paused once again, to make sure he was right. “I mean…what if it’s _really_ bad?”

“All the better to see for ourselves, right?” Pidge interjected, prodding the Cuban with the tip of her pen. “Experience it first hand, so we can motivate ourselves”

Hunk nodded excitedly. “That's why we should check this place out!”

 

 ~~

 

Lance tightened his scarf around his neck and looked up to the large shop in front of him. The words ‘Marmora Pet's' glittered against the ephemeral white snow that lay all over the ground. He let out a puff of air, watching the steam fog up his glasses and followed Pidge into the shop.

It looked pretty modern and was filled with both familiar and unrecognisable people frittering back and forth, congregating at tall silver monitors that took over the wall on the opposite side of the shop. There were a few people dotted around wearing white suits with black lining, the emblem of the store on their blazers and ties.

This was, after all, a new service.

There was a pretty red headed woman in uniform standing next to the door, she ushered them into the store and towards an oval reception desk. Another woman sat on the other end of the table; she looked up with a bright smile that reached her dark blue eyes.

“How may I help you?”

Pidge gazed around the area and smiled to the woman. “We were just curious,”

“Of course! All new customers are welcome here! I'll have one of our staff answer any of your questions,” The receptionist tapped at the headset by her ear, the transparent microphone moulded over her cheek and to her mouth. “Please, feel free to look around,”

“Good afternoon, my name is Scott,” A handsome, blonde man appeared next to the two, an equally bright smile on his features as he ushered them to one of the less crowded futuristic looking monitors on the other side of the shop. “Let me explain how this system works,” He reached over to the monitor and the shops emblem dissolved on the screen. It flashed a few times before stopping at a white page stating the name of the shop and the options bronze, silver and gold. “First of all, I would like to state that Marmora is a charity and not used for abusive needs.” He pressed a few of the on screen buttons, going from the home screen to profiles of the 'pets' that they offered. “We basically provide a Galran who will keep you company any time you want,”

“What type of company are you offering?” Pidge asked, straightening the strap of her bag as she stared apprehensively at the man. She knew what these sorts of ‘charities’ meant, it was just another alternative to slave trade and labour.

Scott smiled brightly, not fazed at all by the inquisition. “If there's a movie you want to see, or a place you want to visit, or you desire a romantic dinner, then you will love this popular trend of adopting a Galran pet,”

Lance looked suspicious, watching with a narrowed gaze at a few other women gathering around the handsome sales clerk.

“We know how lonely life can get for some people,” Scott said, his lips pouting, his eyes twinkling in the artificial lights.

Lance narrowed his gaze. This _was_ slavery. These poor Galrans, or ‘pets’ as they were downgraded to, were being forced to do someone else's bidding. I doubt this is even a _charity._

“Nyma!” One of the girls behind Lance squealed, tugging on a brunette woman's lithe arms, making the bangles and bracelets on the woman's arm shake. “You should definitely get a cute Galran man and make him answer to your calls!”

Lance scoffed. _Slave labour..._

Nyma smirked. “What are the prices?”

“Each Galran is different according to their grade,” Lance narrowed his gaze as Scott started explaining the long list of prices. Seems cliques worked here as well, it was true what some people said, high school never ends. “You have the bronze class; these are just friends whom you can hang out. Then there's silver class, they are like your best friends, who are more wanting of you, and then the highest is the gold class, these pets are devoted to you and your needs. Of course those needs should be exemplary and follow our terms. There are a few platinum pets, but they are the most wanting of you. You really do get your money's worth for them.”

The two girls behind Lance seemed to nod in unison. Lance rolled his eyes, not liking this service at all. The people that created this system should be taken out of business. This was slavery and he for one would not stand for it. He would not stoop to such a level where he would pay for friendship.

Who knew when and how this would turn sour. Marmora would be on the news soon, he was sure of it.

“You sign a contract and pay the small fee for the person,” He stated, pointing to the receptionist who waved at them from her desk. “And they are given to you on the class you chose.”

Pidge leaned into Lance, a frown on his face, and whispered as Scott showed them how to use the monitors. “I think we should do the ecological thing and free these poor Galrans,”

Lance turned to his friend, whose gaze was fixated on the pictures of the 'pets' flashing past on the monitors.

“With what money,” Lance muttered, wanting so badly to agree to the plan.

“True, let’s just free one then. It'll make you feel better to know you've saved _one_.” Pidge sighed, but nodded. “What about this cute guy?” He asked, pointing to the picture of a handsome man on the screen. “He looks alright,”

“A-ah! No.” Scott suddenly jolted, stepping in front of the screen and blocking him from Lance's view. “That pet...he has a bit of a reputation,”

“Maybe it’s because he didn't want to _be_ a pet,” Lance stated, holding his hands to his hips, glaring accusingly at the blonde salesman. “How exactly do these people become pets in the first place?”

Scott looked taken aback. Nyma pushed behind the blonde sales clerk and stared at the picture, a wide grin on her pink painted lips. “Oh, he _is_ handsome.”

No way is she getting him!

“You know what,” Lance suddenly stated, narrowing his gaze at the red headed woman who was gazing at the monitor with glee. “I'll take him.”

“Really?” Scott looked apprehensive. “But, he's a platinum and requires--”

“ _I want that man_ ,” Lance said assertively, crossing his arms over his chest. At least one man would be free from this hell with his help. Especially someone who didn’t want to be sold. That and he did not like the lascivious look on Nyma’s face. He'd just go back to university and start a petition as to how wrong this system was. “Where do I sign?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya'll~!  
> Let's get political up in here! Up in here!
> 
> Warning  
> Mentions of ownership and possession (and not in the usual SakuAi way), class systems, slavery, all sorts of nasty things that we are technically, currently going through right now in the present day, so...crisscross!

Lance felt the world crumble around him as he waited on the platform. Pidge and Hunk stood next to him, filled with glee at what they had just accomplished. He should be feeling happy too, but he still couldn’t get over the fact that he had bought a pet Galran.

“I can’t believe I…” he shook his head, trying to force the very notion from his mind. He was _not_ like Nyma and the others who were at the store – oh god, it was a _store!_ – He had bought the Galran because he wanted to _free_ him. He’d _not_ stooped so low. But he _had_ bought a Galran who would be devoted to him. _Oh god, had he bought an escort?_

The train’s arrival shook him out of his thoughts, he tried instead to focus on whatever his friends were saying, but he just couldn’t let the whole thing go. Galran’s may have once been the enemies to the universe—no, not _all_ Galran’s _,_ just those who followed that dictator Zarkon – that didn’t make them all bad. The ones that were forced into slavery – because that was just what this was – were born here on earth, bred among their own kind and forced into living the way they were. As far as Lance was concerned, they were just as human as he was, they just looked different.

However, they were bred different too, separate, in isolation, with their own kind. They were told from the day they were born that they were going to be bought, that they were in this existence to be mere trinkets for the world.

Ever since Lance had been little, he had been told all about the Galran’s, but from a human perspective.

“Galran’s are pets,”

“Galran’s are toys,”

“Galran’s are _not people, so don’t treat them like they are.”_

“They are not allowed independence,”

“Treat them like humans and they will kill you,”

“Galran’s are dangerous.”

Ha, dangerous. And yet, he could clearly see a tall purple skinned Galran, with a thick collar around his neck, the lead held by a young girl, who was barely a decade old. She was holding a birthday balloon, and playing with the tail of the Galran as he stood stoic next to her, eyeing the parents next to him.

He was her _pet._

Lance was disgusted.

He remembered the documentary he had seen in secret all those years ago, the one with a Galran telling other listening Galran’s of a resistance, a group of people who would band together to _help_. Only to see that man be taken away by the force, and shot in front of every single one of them. There were children in the mass he had created; small things that had seen humans come to kill one of their own because he spoke out.

“You did your good deed for today,” Hunk said, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder as he motioned them into one of the train carriages. “Don’t be so hard on yourself,”

Lance brushed his hand off, feeling a sick ball of lead in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t _feel_ like he was doing anything good. He _had_ bought a Galran after all. A Platinum Class Galran, no doubt. He shuffled through the narrow aisle, slotting himself in one of the empty four seats, Hunk and Pidge sitting alongside him. He held his bag to his front, grimacing as his lanyard swung alongside it, gleaming prettily that he was a _Member of the Galran Unity Resistance._

Not the right resistance it seemed.

It screamed that he had just bought a fucking Galran pet, and he _did not_ want anyone to know that. He had tried taking the fucking thing off, but it wouldn’t budge, it was stuck on his bag until he had his Galran by his side.

_Oh god…_

He slammed his head on the small table between them, feeling thick fingers run through his hair as Hunk tried to soothe him of his worries.

“I know twelve thousand is a lot of money,” Hunk tried to placate him, patting him on his head. “But think of what you’ve done, one less Galran in captivity,”

Oh god, he hadn’t even _thought_ about the financial problems he was now going to have. Sure he had the money, but that money had been because of their savings, work salaries,  _their_  fund raising, and all of it had been earned so they could get a better apartment – not the shitty one they lived in now.

The three had worked so hard to save up, and he had spent it all on a fucking pet?

“I’m sorry guys,” he tried to apologise, but Hunk stopped him right there.

“Don’t worry,” he replied, that sunshine smile on his face. “We just did a great deed, we’ll save up again, and we’ll get a better apartment next year,”

“Yeah, or we can just fuck with the super again,” Pidge added, their face turned to the sun setting in the window.

Lance lifted his head from the table, pointing an accusing finger at them. “Shiro almost killed us because of the last stunt you pulled,”

They shrugged their shoulders. “Allura sorted it all out for us,”

“We were lucky she was there,” Hunk added.

Lance thanked them internally for breaking his train of thought. But he still couldn’t shake it. He had done something so awful. How was he going to explain this to his mother?

Shaking his head of _that_ particular thought, he slunk back down on the seat, sighing as the days’ event ran through his mind.

Saving someone’s life from a slave society had cost him all of their shared savings. He just hoped the Galran would be thankful for what he had done, and then be off on his merry way. No one would be able to capture him again, because technically the Galran would belong to him. He might get a few phone calls, here and there…but wait…this was a Platinum Class. The man at the store hadn’t really explained it all that well, but from what he could remember, Platinum Class Galran's relied on accompaniment, they lived solely for their owners. It was one of the reasons why they were so god damn expensive.

But, were they different to the other bought Galran’s? Did they expect different things? Galran’s wore collars, would _his Galran_ have to. Oh god, what if his Galran preferred to wear a collar and want to stay with him? They had been taught from little that this was the norm, hadn’t they?

No, that didn’t seem likely. He’d be just as eager to leave. They’d get some kind of temporary brand on him, so he could roam free without getting caught, and he could go out and do whatever he wanted.

…but what if?

Lance hadn’t even gotten a good look at the Galran he had bought. None of this felt right, he had never thought he’d be put under the list that stated he had _bought a persona as property._ But there was the lanyard, screaming it to his face.

He was bought back to the present when a thick book thudded onto the table. Lance looked up to see Pidge holding their hands over the book. “I took the liberty of getting you a book,”

“What?” He was a little confused at that, but Pidge was a weird one.

With a triumphant grin, they pushed the book closer to Lance, a look of teasing pride on their face, eyes gleaming behind their round rimmed glasses. They retracted their hand, and Lance got a good look at the title.

“How to care for a pet?” He asked, the sick lead ball at the pit of his stomach growing with rage and disgust at himself. What a cruel reminder. “What the actual fuck, Pidge?

“I thought you might need it,” Pidge replied, they had a look in their eyes, and Lance took a moment to really consider whether Pidge was teasing him, or if there was something else in their gift, something with a deeper meaning. “After all, a Galran pet gives the best and most devoted love,”

They nudged their head to the side, and that was when Lance saw the tall man sitting on a seat, he hand his hand wrapped tight around a thick, short lead, that held the Galran who was standing next to him. The lead was so short; the Galran had to bend down to accommodate himself to it.

Lance wanted to say something, but the shiny badge on the man’s coat collar held him back. He was a member of Altorian, a man who worked for the Galran Redemption Order. The ones who had started this whole Galran ownership thing. He looked up at Lance, through the seats, and smiled. Though Lance knew the only reason he was smiling was because of the fucking lanyard permanently glued to his bag.

If Lance had said anything, he’d be put to jail as a resistance fighter, with no bail.

Looking down, he gave Pidge a forced smile, and gladly took the offered book. Peering through the first few pages, he saw a few, very interesting, chapters. There must be something in there that would help him understand how to let a Galran go free without them getting caught.

_Thank you Pidge!_


	4. Chapter 4

Lance walked ahead of Pidge and Hunk, listening to them talk about the man on the train, and how they had pretty much cheated going to jail. And honestly, Lance would have been right there with them, celebrating life. But he still could not get over what he had done.

They finally turned the corner to the slightly dilapidated, rustic building they called home. There were wrought iron hand rails and plant pots on the steps leading up into the front door, the windows were all curtained in different colours, large enough to let in the light, but too small to really see what was inside. The brick was a old, and red, different to the other properties around them.

Lance paused however. There was a large man in a black coat standing in front of the door, looking at a piece of paper in his hands, and then up to the building. But what really caught Lance’s eye was the black cloaked lump draped over his shoulder. That was definitely an arm coming out from the cloak…

Not wanting to get into trouble, Lance turned around, taking hold of Hunk and Pidge’s arms, dragging their reluctant bodies with him.

“Hey! You!”

Lance froze as the large man’s voice bellowed down the streets. His shoulders stiffened, but he didn’t turn around.

“You Lance McClain?”

Crap. Turning, he forced a smile on his face. “N…no?”

“Don’t lie to me, boy. Your lanyard,” The large man replied, taking hold of his hand and spinning him around. The silver streaking lanyard shone like a beacon. The man took hold of it, reading the information on there. He straightened them massive black lump on his shoulder and grinned. “Great, here’s your pet. Thanks for shopping with us,”

He lowered his body, holding the massive black lump and lowering it down onto the ground.

“It’s been feisty, so we’ve had to put it down,” the large man said, fishing out an electronic pad from his back pocket. He held it out to Lance, holding a stylus in his other hand. “But it’ll be up and at ‘em in a few,”

“What the fuck?” Lance muttered to himself, as he looked at the screen. The words ‘Marmora’ was at the very top, in its swirling splendour.

Hang on a moment… _this_ was his…the…this was the Galran?

Why was he brought to him like this? Unconscious, and hidden under a cloak. Hunk and Pidge stood at his side, peering at the cloak too. It must have been because the poor Galran didn’t want to be bought. All the more reason for Lance to sign the document and let the Galran free.

“Hang on a moment,” Pidge said suddenly, stopping Lance form signing anything. “We gotta check the goods,”

They lifted the cloak and nodded, humming a little.

“He’s rather small,” theyreiterated, looking all the more like a person who had bought Galran pets as a hobby and expected the best. But they had to look the part here, if the man knew they had bought the Galran only to let him go, they’d take the poor alien away.

“It’s what you ordered,” the man said, thrusting the pad at Lance, urging him to sign. “I got other deliveries, just sign it and take it up with the company,”

Lance looked back at Pidge and Hunk, seeing them circle the small black cloaked lump, who he had yet to see. They looked up at him, nodding, and he let out a long sigh. Signing the documents, the large man suddenly took a tighter hold of his arm, and snipped the lanyard from his bag with a device that looked like silver shears, leaving the small silver tag to indicate he had a pet.

_Urgh,_ this was worse than the lanyard.

The man dragged Lance over to his delivery truck, and pulled open one of the doors. Lance blanched when he saw other Galran’s sitting quietly inside the truck, all of them had their hands behind them, handcuffed to the metal pole at the back of the bench. They looked...like they'd given up.

“You’ll need to read this,” the man said, placing a large box onto the pavement, and handing Lance thick book. He pushed Lance back onto the pavement with the box and waved politely. “Have a nice day,”

Lance watched, still so very confused, as the van left. The box was much heavier than he had expected, Lance noticed, as he tried to move it away from oncoming bystanders. Hunk appeared at his side, holding a hand to his shoulder.

“Why don’t you get coma-dude up into your room, get him acquainted,” He said, nodding his head back to the unconscious Galran on the ground, hidden under the cloak. “Pidge and I’ll get the box,”

“Yeah, right, we will,” Pidge’s answered nonchalantly.

Hunk rolled his eyes, and ducked down to lift the box up. Grunting against the sheer weight and muttering cursed profanities under his breath, he took in a deep breath and vented all of his days’ frustration into tugging the box up the stairs and into the foyer. Lance watched as Pidge followed him, holding onto the corner of the box and helping him up the steps.

Lance took one look at the cloaked body and wondered just how he had gotten himself into this mess. Reaching for the – rather light, he noticed, -- body, he lifted it up into his arms, holding him close.

_Huh…_ at least the Galran smelled nice.

Walking in, he was met with the gorgeous Allura yelling at Hunk in the small lobby area.

“What are you doing?” Lance peered up to the reception desk to see Allura glaring at him with a questioning expression. “Is that a… _Lance,_ have you actually done something so stupid?”

“It’s not what you think, I promise,” Lance replied with berated breaths.

He sucked in a breath and took her card out of his wallet and swiped it against the black device, calling the lifts down. Allura paused rushing around the desk. Confused and took hold of the large box in Hunk's arms, pushing the weight a little. “The box says Marmora, Lance you and your friends actually bought a Galran?”

“Oh…uh, yes. We wanted to…free him.” Lance stated, wishing the lifts would hurry up. Oh god, he had just been seen buying something from a store he was purely against.

“ _Free him?_ ” Allura reprimanded, but she let out a long breath. There was no helping these three when they had their mind on something. She instead helped Hunk, taking a hold of one corner of the heavy box. “I can help you,”

Lance tried to pull it from her, not wanting her to see what he had gotten. He already hated the fact that he had brought a Galran; he didn't want anyone else to know. _Especially Allura._ “No, this isn’t…we…it was my fault, I can take it up myself,”

“You should take help when it’s given to you,” Allura stated, holding the box up with Hunk, and making her way to the opened lift doors, placing the box down on the ground. “We’re only here to help.”

“I know, I just…” Lance tried, straightening the unconscious – and rather small – Galran in his arms. “I didn’t expect this to happen. I didn’t think I’d be one of _them_ ,”

In a fit of rage which had been welling up ever since the morning, Lance tightened his grip on the Galran in his arms and stood at the very back of the lifts. His face in a growl, he waited for the others to push the button to his floor.

“You’re doing a good deed,” Pidge replied, pressing the button and waiting for the lift to rise up to the top floor, where Lance’s large open floor plan room was.

Lance slumped back onto the mirror of the compartment, catching his breath and sighing out in exhaustion. He looked down to the covered Galran in his arms, wishing he could pull the cloth away and get a look at just who he had saved. The lifts dinged and door opened into his room. Though it was more than just a room, it was a small studio apartment of sorts, with an open plan, a small kitchenette in the corner, hidden behind an arched wall, a bed on one side, with a desk, and a small sofa before him, facing the small television on the table.

Hunk and Allura dropped the box onto the side of the door.

“We’ll leave you to it then,” Hunk replied.

Lance turned; he hadn’t expected them to leave so suddenly. In a perverse way, he was so eager to see what he had gotten, and he had expected the others to be the same.

Pidge just shrugged their shoulders. “You need to meet your pet one on one, we can’t be here,”

Huh…he guessed that made some sense.

No…no it really didn’t.

But Pidge always knew best. So he just nodded, watching as the lift doors closed, and the door leading to his house clicked locked.

“So…” he said to the unconscious man in his arms.

He made his way to his bed, laying the man down on the soft plush. Cautiously he reached down to the slightly opened cloak, pulling it back to reveal a gorgeous, pale purple skinned young Galran, with long hair and the most softest looking ears flat on his head. But there was blood seeping from the variety of wounds that were visible all over his body.

What the fuck?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Keith...is bleeding?  
>  Why, oh why?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How to take care of your Galran Pet...

“Are you dead?” Lance asked himself. His question was answered when he heard the Galran’s laboured breaths and the slight shivering of the cloak. “What should I do…go to the police? No ambulance.”

He reached into his pocket for his phone. Dialling the first two nines, he paused. His mind was contemplating whether or not he should. The Galran clearly needed immediate help. What would happen to _him_ if they found the Galran like that? Would he get sent to jail for harming a Galran -- not that he had… -- or would they take the Galran away and force him back into that awful place where they clearly beat him.

No. If he wanted to expose Marmora for what it was, then he should call the police. After all it was only the right thing to do. But the police may hurt him more…what if he was forced to go back to the store? Then he’d most likely be sold to another person who would treat him like a slave.

“What should I do?” Lance looked around his room, hoping for a sign to answer the many questions running through his head. He couldn’t just leave the Galran.

He _was_ very handsome…

Hesitantly, Lance knelt in front of the Galran and pulled the cloak apart. This way, he got a good look at him. The Galran was shivering violently. Lance then took notice that the cloak itself was damp. It had been raining before...he probably caught a cold.

What had they done to him?

With long black hair that fell to his shoulders, perfect porcelain skin scratched with what looked like claw marks. His uniform plain white shirt was torn in places, showing off slightly purple tinged skin stretched over a lean chest. His black leggings hugged his legs and waist tightly with rips and tears that were coated with blood. He had the most vivacious body than any man Lance had ever seen.

With a blush and a second look, his eyes widened, above the Galran’s fluffy black hair was what looked to be like two curled bat ears, he also noticed a long sleek tail curled around his leg.

“He’s like a cat…” Lance murmured to himself, wondering whether to give in to the temptation and touch the Galran’s ears or leave him be.

He chose the latter as the Galran’s breathing became heavier. Sliding the damp cloak off hi, he lifted his duvet and laid the Galran back on his bed before collapsing in a heap to the floor by his bed.

Rummaging through his drawers he pulled out a first aid kit. Unzipping it, he first took out a thermometer and placed it into the Galran’s mouth. He hastily cleaned up the cuts and bruises he could see, glad that he had listened to his mother and brought a lot more bandages and ointment than he needed. He was always getting hurt.

Pulling the thermometer out he gasped. “Wow…one-o-three degrees. Not only are you hot, you also have a fever.”

He was hesitant to take off the Galran’s clothes, but the blood coating his leggings and shirt made Lance think otherwise. For once he was glad that the heater in his room was broken, letting off a large amount of heat than any other room in the house.

He took in a deep breath as he unbuttoned the Galran’s plain white shirt, letting out an appreciative breath at the dips and curves of the Galran’s toned muscles. He ran a tentative finger over the firmness of those _fuck me_ muscles, watching as the Galran’s breath came out in deep gasps. He shook his head from his sudden lewd thoughts and reached for the antiseptic, bandaging the wounds he found on the Galran’s chest and stomach one by one.

_I won’t get turned on by this…_ he thought to himself as he pressed a bandage onto one of the larger wounds that took over the Galran’s sleek sides. This is wrong…he’s not even awake…but that means he won’t notice if I—

Good god, he was used to reprimanding and telling off people up who thought like this, yet here he was, being a pervert and wanting to do things with a man who was asleep on his bed. He was such a hypocrite.

He gulped and steadied his shaking hands as he reached for the hem of the leggings.

“Can’t do it,” he suddenly stated, he stood up suddenly. Taking in a few deep breaths, he pulled off his sweater, throwing it onto the single sofa seat behind him. He rolled up the Galran’s leggings to show off his muscular legs.

“I do hope you don’t have any injuries that aren’t in a place I’m not allowed to touch.” He muttered to himself, knowing that the Galran wouldn’t answer.

Finished, he rolled back the Galran’s leggings and took his duvet and blanket and wrapped it around the Galran’s lethargic body. Rushing over to the small kitchenette, he filled a small bowl up with warm water and took hold of a small cloth, placing it into the water and then wringing it out.

He dabbed at the perspiration over the Galran’s face and neck, all the while wondering where he had gotten these great mothering skills.

Nodding that he had indeed done all he could for the Galran at that moment, he tiptoed out of his room, making sure the lock on his main entrance was secure. He didn’t want any of the others living in the same building to suddenly burst into his room like they usually did. That was something Pidge would do.

Roaming through the short trek back to the kitchenette. He pulled out one of his small pans and started to boil a large ration of rice. While that was boiling, he rushed back to check up on his patient.

Seeing that the Galran’s breathing – though still laboured – had quiet down a little, he returned to his first aid kit and continued bandaging up the cleaned cuts along the Galran’s arms and face.

“Well, you are handsome…I can see why people go so far to want you,” He muttered, running his fingers over the Galran’s warm purple cheek to check for any other bruises. He noticed something that made his eyes widen. These were all defensive wounds.

He had fought someone, or something, pretty recently. The ache in Lance’s chest increased and he doubled his efforts. There was something so human about the Galran, what with the way he looked so troubled, even in his sleep. But there was something so gorgeous about this alien as well.

He hummed as their body heat melded together. Without his knowing why, he leaned in closer to reach to the other side of the Galran’s pretty purple face. Forcing his mind to think this was all to check him over, to make sure he wasn’t hurt any more. But his eyes zoned in to the Galran’s pretty lips, watching intently, completely entranced. Slowly, ever so slowly, he leaned into the Galran, and their lips pressed together in a breathless whisper, not touching, just breathing off one another.

He’d only need to lean in a little closer, and they’d be—

_Wait!_ His mind screamed at him. You don’t even know this man!

Lance leaned back with an, albeit disappointed, sigh and turned to look away from the Galran, lest he be tempted once again to finish off what he had started. Wondering what to do while the man was asleep on his bed; he reached into his bag and pulled out his homework assignments, knowing it was best to get started as soon as possible.

The Pet Care book dropped out.

Hesitating, Lance picked the book up. No harm in a little light reading…

Shrugging his shoulders, he sat on the floor, leaning his back to the bed. He gazed over to the handsome Galran on his bed and sighed, albeit rather reluctantly.

“Properly taming your new Galran Pet,” He read to himself, whispering silently into the air. “The Galran will be feeling acute stress from being placed into a new environment, do not touch him, just let him be. He needs to get used to you and your living space. Violence is never the answer at this stage,”

_At this stage?_ He feared to think when violence _would_ be the answer.

He peered over to the Galran and sighed. “That can’t be helped.”

He tossed the book to the side and stood up. He turned to the kitchen and thought instead to cook something up for the Galran. Soon, he placed the rice soup he had made into a tray, and returned back to his room.

He stopped when he saw the Galran move around tensely.

Rushing over to the wounded Galran’s side, he sat at the edge of the bed, and peered over to him. The Galran’s eyes were slightly open, a little yellow of his irises peeking out from under his extremely long lashes. His mouth moved, as if he seemed to want to say something, but lacked the strength to.

Guessing that he was hungry, with his slightly opened mouth, Lance reached for the tray he placed on the table next to his and spooned some of the rice soup up.

“It’s rice soup.” Lance explained, hoping the Galran understood him. Placing the spoon to his lips he smiled as the Galran complied and started eating the food.

“Good,” The Galran replied, his voice low and weak.

Lance paused, not used to being praised at, especially by someone as pretty as the man on his bed. His heart fluttered, missing a beat at the Galran’s tired smile. Soon, the rice soup was finished and the Galran relaxed back down and returned back into a blissful sleep in his comforters.

Lance got up then, straightening out the duvet over the Galran again. He took the plates and the tray, and made his way back to the kitchen. Placing it in the sink, he let out a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding.

The poor Galran…if Lance sent him away now, would he survive?

What was Lance going to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what happened to Keith to make him look like that?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'sup~! It's ya girl...
> 
> Sorry its taking so long to update this, nothing is really...working the way I want it to with this fic, but I will try to focus on this and try to make it good~!
> 
> Thanks for being so patient with this absolutely awful writer.

_Where…am I?_

His dark purple eyes blinked open suddenly, taking in the darkness of his surroundings. Everything seemed so blurry to him. He could barely remember what had happened. Alarmed, he reached into his pocket, hoping to find the one thing he had pocketed in there, but he felt nothing.

_Fuck._

He glanced around the room and took in everything around him. He was in a house, a bedroom in fact, except there was a large archway that led to what looked like a small kitchen area. To his immediate left, he saw a cupboard standing at the wall at the end of the bed, a desk next to it with a laptop sitting, open but switched off, on its work top. There was a small flat screen television next to it. He saw a dressing table at the far end of the room too, filled to the brim with organised bottles in various colours and sizes.

By the edge of his bed, he noticed, was a man with the smoothest, almost lickable in all the senses he could decipher skin. His head was dropped to the side, facing away from him, but he couldn’t help but take in the sweet slope of his neck.

He suddenly had the urge to bite it.

The man looked so innocent sleeping there, soft skin, sleepy snores with the slightest intake of breath. He looked delectable. Who knew someone so kind looking would stoop so low as to _buy a person as a pet!_ It shook the very foundation that made him who he was.

Quick as a cat, he vaulted up from the bed, the comfortable and warm duvet falling to his lap as he sat up. He grimaced at the dull thrumming on pain that shot through him. And his memory returned to the fucker Sendak as he had punched him in the stomach and then slung him over his shoulder.

He hadn’t wanted to be sold, but the Galran had forced him into the van with the other Galran’s being sold that day. It was so fucked up that Sendak, _a Galran,_ would go against his own kind. _Selling them_ to the highest bidder. Like they were a fucking toy, like they were property.

It made him sick, and he really needed to get out of here before his _master_ woke up.

Trying to get up, however, was something else entirely. The pain only increased. He pressed his hand to it. That was when he had noticed the bandages taped to his side, along with many others that were crinkling on his chest and arms.

_What the hell?_

His gaze turned to the innocent – yet not so innocent – human sleeping by his side and a wild thought rushed through him. Had a human really… _helped_ him? Had this human _taken care of him?_

_Why?_

Why had he done that? When all Kieth had ever heard from other Galran’s was how bad the humans treated them, how they were forced to do the humans bidding. To follow their rules, wear tight and restricting collars, sit on the ground when they were to eat, to listen to every word their master said, and _never go against your master Keith, humans will never be kind to you._

Maybe this human was different?

_Don’t lose sleep over that,_ he reprimanded himself. There was no such thing as a ‘kind human’, they were all out to get Galran’s, and this pretty man would be the same.

So he stood up, winching at the pinpricks of pain that were slowly heating all over his body. He stretched out, seeing just how far his body would move before it ached. He was only as good as his limits. He saw the cardboard box that held all of his information, all of the things needed for him to _be a good pet._

He wanted to kick it, to tear through it, to rip it apart and set it on fire. Maybe throw it into the river and be done with it.

But then again, it didn’t matter just how far, and how hard he had tried to get away, he was right back to the very place he didn’t want to be. _Owned._

What would this man be like if he stayed?

He wasn’t going to find out.

His attention turned to the pretty dark skinned man lying asleep on the ground, and for some reason his initial reaction was to wake the man up. Instead, he slid out of the bed, making sure to be slow and not aggravate his healing injuries. He shrugged off the comfortable and warm duvet and threw it lightly over the man’s body.

No point the human be cold.

While he did so, he crouched down until he was eye level with the man, and tilted his head to one side. He just watched the human breath in deeply as he slept peacefully. He had never seen a human up close.

They were strange, almost shaped eyes, thin noses, all sorts of skin colours, their ears were to the side of their heads, hair all sorts of styles and colours. They also came in all sorts of sizes, weights, heights. It was intriguing, and odd to see someone who _wasn’t_ a shade of purple.

Keith looked to his own skin, holding it up to the human, in awe at the absolute colour change he had seen there. The man was like a burnt almond in colour, like the inside of those sweet treats the man on the other end of the cell pushed through the small bars.

_Shiro would know just what to call him._

But he wondered, just why had this human taken care of him? Why had he not just left him to his own devices, forcing him to heal all on his own? _Why_ had this human given him, a Galran, his bed?  _What kind of human are you?_

He didn’t have to wait for an answer as the sweet coloured man started to wake up slowly. He jumped back when he saw those eyes groggily opened. _Blue,_ like an ocean, like a storm, _beautiful._ Keith watched, entranced as he slowly woke up, those gorgeous eyes blinking as he tried to adjust to the sudden change of light.

“Oh, you’re awake.” The human’s smile grew, and Keith felt a growl rise to his lips. “I hope you’re feeling better.”

Keith’s eyes widened as he stumbled back, yet he didn’t reply. A growl rose from his lips, ears flattening on the top of his head. He was sounding like some sort of animal. _That was not who he was._

“Where am I?” His voice was a mix of both a growl and sensuously arduous. He held his long claws before the human, holding them tensely. “Who are you?”

Lance’s eyes widened, fear filled as he stared at Keith’s claws. “My name is Lance McClain. You’re were hurt and I thought I’d help you,”

_Shit,_ right where he didn't want to be. This was the man? _Him?_ If he was anything like the other humans that had visited Keith, then it was better that he leave before he got in too deep. He growled louder, and Lance jumped, pressing himself into the thick mattress of bed. Keith leaned into him, making Lance lean impossibly back.

“I don’t need your help.” He looked up and saw the opened window. He stretched up, but the pain on his side prevented him from going very far.

Lance heard his wince and leaned up to help him, he pressed his hand against Keith’s chest, pushing him back as gently yet as forcefully as he could.

“Please, look, you can go whenever you want later. But right now, you’re hurt.” He pleaded, wishing he would listen.

Keith’s deep dark eyes glared intensely at Lance, but he knew he’d probably have to stay until he was better. The human did say he could leave when he wanted, and though he was sure the human only said that to placate him, he really wished it to be true.

And anyway, the slightly falling rain outside didn’t look to appealing.

“If you so much as do anything,” He threatened. Lance nodded, the fear still present in his pretty features, as he slowly pushed Keith back onto the bed. “I will not hesitate in killing you.”

“Look, just concentrate on getting better,” Lance replied quietly, pulling the duvet over his body, tucking him in.

Keith pushed him away. “Do not touch me.”

Lance felt like rolling his eyes, but he nodded, stepping away from the Galran. “Can I at least know your name?”

“Keith,” He muttered, not making eye contact with the human. Well, it wouldn’t last very long; his human would most definitely change his name to suit his lifestyle. As long as he wasn’t renamed to something stupid – like _Sunshine, or Fluffy,_ he’d be happy.

Looking up, he saw Lance’s pretty blue eyes light up.

“That’s a good name.” Lance replied with a little hesitance, as if he didn’t know what to say.

Keith rolled his eyes, the frown on his face turned into a glare. He smirked when Lance coiled back. This human’s reactions were interesting.

Lance hesitated. “Why don’t you get some rest?”

He watched as Keith roughly pulled the duvet over the bed and lay down. He held back a wince, not wanting to show weakness. Lance took in a nervous breath, watching the Galran as he relaxed and closed his eyes.

He was scary…


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's...taking a time. Sorry.  
> But I have gotten back into the swing of things, so I'll try to update as much and as regularly as I can.

That first night had made him shudder.  

He sat on his desk, getting his latest assignment over and done with. He reached for his bag by his feet, needing the litter of notes he had left in there. Pulling the zip sideways, grimacing at his homemade hack and slash at the silver lanyard that showed he was a Member of the Galran Unity –blah, blah, blah. The fucker would not budge. 

It was weird how easy Lance found himself working around a healing Galran. 

He had thought it was going to be all sorts of awkward, and scary – well, okay, Keith had this weird way he'd look at Lance, his yellow eyes narrowed and looking like he was either going to maim him with those claws or roll over and show his stomach like a house cat wanting to be petted. 

 _Weird._  

But, Lance had gotten used to it almost too easily. 

Keith was actually quite independent, more so than he had expected him to be. He did everything by himself, and though Lance wanted to help him, he was injured after all. 

Looking back, he saw the pretty Galran sleeping on his bed. He was in no way peaceful in his rest, he was fidgeting and moving, fingers itching and moving to his neck – which was odd on its own. When Lance had first watched him do that, scratching and pressing at his neck when he was sleeping, Lance had thought he was trying to get something off his neck. But after closer inspection, he saw that Keith was actually trying to circle his hands around his neck, as if he wanted something there. 

Worried for his safety, Lance had shaken Keith awake, wanting to know what was happening. Why was Keith acting like that? Had those sick people forced him to act this way? Was this something he needed? Was he feeling sick? Infected? What? 

But Keith's eyes had been narrow once again, completely yellowed out, long bat like ears pricked back in anger at being woken up. He grumbled another 'don't touch me' and turned over, facing away from Lance. The Cuban winced when Keith moaned at the pain on his side, but the Galran didn't move back, content to be a stubborn asshole and not let Lance help him. 

Maybe there was something Lance had been missing. He didn't know a lick of anything when it came to Galran's after all. 

When he spoke to Hunk and Pidge, they had shown similar concern, but Pidge had told him to check the box that came with the Galran. Eager to do so straight away, Lance had made his way back to his room, and ripped into the box. Inside were an assortment of silver steel boxes and packets and all sorts of things.  

He pulled everything out and placed it in a neat semicircle in front of him. There were medicines in one large box, all labelled for different things, utensils and cutlery in another box – with a dog bowl, which was all kinds of horrific –, toiletries and a grooming kit in another box (thick brushes and lotions and all sorts of sweet smelling things). And one entire box just stating the words 'Tail'. Reaching for it, he pulled it open and saw a pretty weird looking silver brush. It was small enough to fit in his hands (pocket size, he noted), flat on one end but had a small pointed circle at the tip. 

Looking up to the sleeping Galran, he spotted the tip of Keith's tail poking out from the corner of the sheets, it was moving this way and that in his sleep, curling around as if it had a life of its own. 

Lance was intrigued, but he kept that to one side, and reached for another silver box. Pulling it open, he took a quick look inside. There were a few things inside, a thick black rope that was tied in loops, alongside a few other things, there were bracelets, long feathers and thin leathery strips attached to a stick, like a feather duster.  

There was a smaller box inside it, marked ' _Master'._ Lance reached for it and snapped it open. Inside there was a thick plastic, transparent white ring with a rubber like bulbous mass in the middle, it was the size of his fist. He picked up the ring and saw it was stretchy and soft, almost silky to the touch. Huh, wonder what that was for? 

He placed it back inside the box and reached for the thick, pen like thing next to it, it was black, just like the rest of the things in the box. Galran's were weird, he thought to himself as he looked at the black thing, turning it in his hands, he noticed it felt just as silky and soft as the ring had. But it was a solid structure. Turning it, he saw there was a small button at the bottom. Curiosity getting the better of him, he pressed the button and the black thing came to life, buzzing and vibrating in his hands madly. 

Lance's eyes widened as he recognised what all of this actually was. 

What the fuck where they doing putting sex toys in this box? 

He threw everything into the box and promptly closed it. Pushing it back with his feet, it slid across the floor and thudded against the wall. 

 _Was this what they meant about a platinum_ _Galran_ _?_  

Lance shook his head and tentatively reached for the next box. Nothing would be worse than that, now would it? They'd already given him sex toys to play with his Galran – not that he ever would, because he didn't even  _know_ Keith, and he had no intention of letting Keith stay, especially when he knew Keith would leave as soon as he got better. 

The weird bulbous ring made him wonder just what it was though.

Shaking his head, he picked at the other silver box, it was a square, and fit in his lap easily. He slowly pulled it open but saw it wouldn't budge. Lifting the box, he saw there was a small black square, like a thumb print. He placed his thumb on it, and heard a beep, followed by a click. The box popped open.  

Eager to see what was inside, after all, if they didn't lock the sex toys, what was in here that needed to be locked up. Still a little weary, however, he pulled the lid up slowly and saw two thin, black circles sitting on a bed of soft silk, one as large as the box, and another just a little smaller in diameter.  

He reached for the smaller black circle, feeling it heat up in his touch, until it was a pleasant, almost missable warmth. It beeped in his hand, shuddering a little, and Lance almost dropped it.  

It cracked cleanly on one side, and split open into a wide arch. Lance gazed at it, holding it up and wondering just what this was. He pressed it, and it was malleable and pulsed like a heartbeat under his touch, closing slowly until the crack pressed together seamlessly.  

Huh... 

He pressed against the metal like ring again, and it opened up easily in his hands. Curiosity bound, he wrapped it around his wrist, closing it onto his skin. It closed, the crack seamless once again. But then it moved, tightening until it melded with his arm, like a black tattoo around his wrist. 

Wait...what the fuck?

He reached for it, pressing his hand onto the black bracelet, but it felt just like his skin. Grasping at straws, he circled his fingers around the bracelet, until he felt it pulse just by his own pulse point. It loosened up but didn't budge. Instead a small screen lit up on the back on his hand. Turning his hand, he saw the words blaring at him, making all the colour drain from his face.  

'Place collar on Galran' 

...he knew what this was. 

It was a collar. 

And this bracelet was his lead. 


	8. Chapter 8

_~~~~"Keith!"_  

Shiro? 

 _"Keith!"_   

Where are you? 

 _"I'll find you!"_  

Keith woke up with a start. 

His head felt all kinds of crap and he just couldn’t make sense of anything around him. He felt dizzy, head aching, eyes watery and more yellow than usual, his heart beat was jackrabbiting in his chest, and a fresh sheen of sweat coated his skin. 

 _Shiro_. 

His hand instinctively reached for his pocket, and he almost let out an anguished cry when he found it was empty. Where was it? Where did it go? He  _knew_ he had it with him when the asshole Galran commander had taken him and thrown him into the back of the truck. He had checked constantly after that too. And he knew it was there when he had screamed, kicked, bit and thrown himself out of the truck at the earliest opportunity. He had felt it dig into his skin when he had been pushed down onto the ground, forced back into his cuffs and knocked out. 

But now...it wasn't anywhere to be seen. Shit, shit,  _shit,_ _shit._  He had to find it. He had to get it back. Where was it?

Get out of here. The human is here, somewhere.  

_"My name is Lance McClain."_

He will want everything from you,  

 _"You were hurt...I thought I'd help you,"_  

He will beat you if you deny him,  

 _"You can go wherever you want, later,"_  

He will hurt you of you disagree,  

_"You're hurt."_

He will force you if you say no.  

_"Just concentrate on getting better."_

He will kill you without a care. 

_"My name is Lance McClain."_

Would he? This Lance McClain had been nothing but courteous and kind. He had cared for him, given him food, shelter, medicine. He hadn't questioned him, he hadn't poked and prodded at him, he had just been there for him. 

This was weird. 

His side was still throbbing, having been thrown onto the ground by that asshole. He had expected Lance McClain to give him back, being all battered and bruised like that. He had heard so many stories of humans expecting Galran's to be perfect, purple skinned pets. _Property_ , that even if one small part of them was marred or wrong, they'd be sent back. 

Those who were sent back never saw the light of day again. 

It was why the Galran's who were out there, forced to be pets for their masters, stayed. No one wanted to come back and be beaten to death for being 'wrong'. 

Keith knew he was wrong from the beginning. He was shorter, and slimmer than his brother and sister kin, he also had a mouth on him that caught him out to be beaten daily. But he was the 'compact and cute Galran you can take with you everywhere'. He scoffed. His less imposing stature and structure allowed him to be the best fucking pet. 

He lay back on the bed, wincing as he aggravated his side. It wasn't too bad. Just a few more hours of rest, and he'd be out of here. 

That was when he felt it. The slight pulsing thud, thud, thud of a heartbeat in the back of his mind. Not just any heart beat however... Lance McClain's heartbeat. 

 _He had put on the lead._  

Fuck. Keith grimaced, feeling the urgent need for a collar. He could feel Lance's heart beat like a distant drumming in his head, and he wanted. 

Stay with Lance. He is good. He will be better than the other masters out there. Keith didn't want to go back to the auction house. He didn't want to be beaten for being wrong. 

Lance could be good. 

His throat constricted, and he pressed his hands around it, wrapping his grip around it as best as he could.  _Fuck this shit._ He growled. This wasn't right, this wasn't him... this... no, this  _was_  him, he couldn't lie to himself. He wanted this. He had smelled the alluring scent of his master, wanted to bury his face in Lance's neck and just take in that scent until it wrapped all around him.

Who knew there was such a thing as love at first scent. He had wanted Lance's collar around his throat. Keeping him steady. Keeping him sane.

He wanted out of the auction house, and he wanted to be loved, cared for. He wanted Lance. And that frightened him.

Shiro had told him...he had told him there were people out there. People who would care for him. Who would love him. Shiro's master was a nice woman, she was tall, regal and beautiful – at least that was what Shiro had told him on their daily phone and texts. She wasn't like the others, she was...nice, she was a  _good human._  

Just like his master.  

He wanted that, but could he have that with Lance McClain?

His master looked like a child, maybe even the same age as he was. Could he...could they really? Was it...was it possible? 

Shaking his head, he looked up out of the window, wishing he could go out there and be free. But he didn't want to think about that now. He'd only be allowed outside if his master let him.

The small digital clock on the bedside table was shining a translucent red against the dim setting sun. He spied the light on in the living area – he was closed off by a partitioning wall, giving him his privacy. But he could see, he could  _smell_  his master. His... saviour was sitting on the spinning chair by a desk, head held back and throwing a ball of paper into the air. He'd catch it, muttering to himself, before throwing it up in the air again. 

Keith watched the paper ball with earnest. 

 _Get it…_  

Instincts getting the better of him, he leaped from the bed, passing the partitioning and slammed into the chair, in hopes to get the white ball of paper. Lance fell back onto the ground with a yelp. Keith shifted his weight, catching the ball in his grasp showing a subtle proving of his dominance. Lance arched up into him, avoiding the sudden pain and pressing himself up into Keith's body.  

The carnal scent of his fragrance enveloped Keith, filled him. Consumed him. 

Lance moaned. 

 _Oh._ That was a nice sound. 

Keith paused. The sudden pain returning to the forefront of his mind, lacerating into his head. He let out a silent whimper and tensed as Lance moaned once again. He took in deep breaths to try and calm the thumping pain on his side, his eyes opened wide. 

“Wha…? Keith? Are you okay?" 

 _Ohh_ _…sweet…_  

Lance smelled ethereal. There was that enchanting scent again. It was so wondrous, captivating…delicious. 

Gently he moved in, inch by inch, to give the human ample time to stop him if he wished. When their lips pressed together, barely a butterfly's wing of a touch, they both moaned softly. Keith snaked an arm around Lance's waist, drew him up and in to his body until their chests pressed tightly together. 

Lance was lost in the sensation of the thrilling kiss. He tilted his head so his lips pressed more firmly against Keith's, a heated fusion that should have set them both alight. Keith's lips were so soft Lance wanted to lick them and then gently bite down on them. Their mouths pressed together a little harder now, lost...so lost in this headiness. Needing, wanting, they were drawn to one another like it was something out of a movie, swell of music, fanfare, and that all important kiss that made his knees weaken and his heart jackrabbit in his chest. Lance didn't care what was happening, his thoughts too preoccupied with the taste, the scent, the feel of this man kissing him, of this beautiful Galran with the most expressive eyes. He opened his mouth a little, forcing Keith's to part willingly, pressing his tongue in questioningly. He moaned when Keith reciprocated in kind, feeling his larger hand cup his hips, gripping and massaging him until he was nothing but a pile of mush. 

Their tongues fought, quick and eager to score points in a fight neither could lose. When Keith bit down gently on Lance's lower lip, Lance moaned, shocked to feel himself tremble slightly at the passion this man could so easily rouse in him. 

They shouldn't be doing this...he  _knew that._ But it was as if an invisible force was pulling them together, wrapping them up in this secret, silent place where it was just them. No pretense, nothing but their salacious passion. 

Lance moaned again as Keith's fingers touched warm, finding soft and warm skin. He reached up, feeling as much of the Galran as he could. Keith's stomach was flat and hard and Lance desperately wanted to bend down and run his tongue over the smooth expanse of flesh. 

Instead, he moved his hands upward, reveling in the feel of Keith's chest. 

Maybe it was the sex toys he had seen, or maybe it was because Keith pushed every single button that made Lance instantly fall in crush with him, made him pant with want and need. 

As his fingers traced the warmth of Keith's back, chest and stomach, they kissed hotly one last time. Their tongues fought, and Lance gasped as Keith gently nipped down again on his lower lip. Lance had never wanted any man as much as he wanted this one right here and now. 

Finally, Keith pulled away gently then pressed both of their foreheads together as they panted to catch their breaths. Both coming to terms at the sudden change in their relationship, however short it was.  

He groaned and tensed his muscles again. "Master _...hurts,"_  

“I don’t know if this is pleasure or torture,” Lance finally said weakly. He carefully pushed Keith off him, careful of his aggravated injuries. 

Keith eyes were wide, yellowing in the corners, his ears perked up, mouth bruised with kisses, breathless. He reached for Lance's hand, pressing his hot lips onto the black band on his wrist. His eyes were half lidded, filled with something that made Lance's cock twitch with interest. 

"Collar me, master,"

Wh...what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. We're getting to the salacious part now.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so...the bad news is still upon me (for those who don't know, don't worry) but I will attempt to finish everything before my untimely demise~!

Was Lance dreaming?

That had to be it. Maybe he had fallen asleep on his desk, bored out of his mind as he worked through his AP assignments. Or maybe, maybe he had been dumb enough and leaned his chair back far enough that the had fallen onto the ground and slammed his head on the carpet. Maybe he was laying on his floor, blood pooling around him and seeping into the carpet.

Yeah, that explained his current experience much better than thinking _this_ was really happening.

The idea of a gorgeous purple skinned man jumping on top of him and basically taking his breath away in the most hottest of kisses he had ever experienced, and then continuing to rub his slightly smaller – but not at all skinnier body all over Lance's lap, this alien was buff and firm in all the right places, and it was making his little Cuban heart pound so hard he was sure it would come out from his chest like that creepy xenomorph baby from Alien – it was...alarming.

Well, it should have been alarming.

Especially with the way those eyes were staring down at him, the all encompassing violent yellow penetrating into his human blue with such an intensity that it made Lance want to wilt and allow this gorgeous alien to continue doing anything he wanted.

“Collar me, master.”

Except that.

“I...I'm not...” Lance stumbled on his words, the scent of this beautiful – look, he wasn't going to deny his immediate attraction to this absolutely gorgeous man laying on him, especially with the way he was grinding into him, in an attempt to urge him to listen. Little Lance was eager for more, though he reprimanded himself for that.

Stop thinking with your dick, Lance.

“ _Please,”_

It was so weird seeing those single coloured eyes half-lidded, the yellow still as stark, cheeks tinged a little pink, open-mouthed gasps escaping his lips.

Fuck...this...all...

“I don't know how,” he answered truthfully.

This...this … _shit,_  Keith. He was a Galran. He could just as easily _kill_ him. And with the way he had come here, beaten bloody and blue, Lance wouldn't be surprised if he was thinking of doing so.

This Keith should not be making him feel like this. Lance was supposed to tell him that he was going to be free. That he had no intentions of keeping him – though, not unless Keith didn't want to, his mind wilfully added. No. _Shut up. – he was supposed to tell Keith to leave._

“Collar me,”

There, he said it again, and once again Lance was floored.

Keith sat up a little, arching his head back to show his throat. And for some unfathomable reason, Lance was desperate to reach up and lick that smooth purple skin.

Ah crap.

He nodded his head onto the silver box next to the table. Lance's cheeks burst a bright pink at the reminder of the...the...toy box. He really didn't want to know just _what_ Keith expected him to do. Keith looked a little put off, and with a long sigh, he rolled his eyes down to Lance's wrist, where the black bracelet was sitting, pressed against his skin like a slightly raised tattoo.

Oh...okay, was _that_ his collar?

Lance had seen a few Galran's with different coloured collars around their necks. Maybe the platinum one wore it around their wrists. With that in mind, he reached for it, attempting to pull it off. But it didn't budge. In fact, it let out the same light and created the screen that showed the same words as it had before. _'Place collar on Galran'._

Okay, so maybe that wasn't his collar. The Galran growled low, which should _not_ have made Lance's pulse skyrocket, or his dick twitch with interest. He dropped back down onto Lance, hands slapping the carpet on either side of Lance's face.

Shocked, Lance looked up to those eyes, and his own eyes widened at what he uttered; “Will you fucking collar me already?”

Okay...so...maybe he really needed it. He _had_ been pressing his hand against his neck and throat ever since he had come here. Maybe he _needed_ the collar on him. Maybe Keith expected the press of the collar against his throat to feel normal.

The way he was looking now, aggravated and all sorts of hot...blooded (yeah, he meant hot blooded... _shut up!_ ) made Lance nod, without really thinking of the repercussions of what he was doing. He pushed Keith off him, and reached for the box, dragging it over to them. He watched Keith's eye shoot up in glee when he saw the silver master box, and when Lance pressed his fingers to the small scanner, the Galran actually had to hide a gasp of excitement.

_Okay..._

The case popped open, showing the large circular ring – the collar. Lance reached for it, and he heard it beep in his hands. The sudden sound almost shocked him enough to drop it, but he held it tighter in his grasp.

Okay...he could do this. He looked up to see Keith baring his throat to him, and whimpered again. He didn't know what it was that suddenly made him want to _do things_ with this purple skinned alien. He blamed it on the dim lamplight, the scent and heat surrounding them both.

Collaring a Galran...what's the worse that could happen?

With a brave breath, he raised up onto his knees, so he was all the more closer to the patiently waiting Galran, and pressed at the collar until he found that clasp that would pull it open. Just like his bracelet, the collar arched open. Cracking almost in half, as he slowly pulled it open wide enough to clasp around Keith's neck.

“Say the words,” Keith muttered, eyes half lidded and looking down at him. Though Lance couldn't really tell, he knew they were filled with impatience, with heat.

Words...what words?

“Idiot, don't you know anything?” Keith growled, his throat quivering as he spoke, “Say your name and then your preferred name for me and that you're about to collar me,”

Lance narrowed his gaze. So what if he didn't know what this gorgeous asshole expected from him. It wasn't like he _wanted_ a pet. Though he had _bought_ him. But that...that was...he wasn't.

Urgh.

“I, Lance McClain,” he started, sucking in a breath at just how dumb he sounded. He would have thought this should be something more intimate, like a proposal or something. Not...not like this. “Take you... Keith—do you have a last name?” – Lance added with a whisper, when Keith narrowed his gaze, Lance sighed. “Take you Keith...to be my...friend _–"_ Keith gave him another look, mouthing the word 'friend' as if it had disgusted him.“I mean... _pet_. I collar you as.... _mine._ ”

He closed the clasp of the cool collar around Keith's hot neck, watching as it closed and the collar lost its seam. Keith let out a breath, and gave Lance as small smile.

Holy...crap...his smile was...something else. Lance wanted to see more of that pretty smile. He didn't think Keith did that a lot. He had a sudden feeling of everything working out well from them both. Maybe, along the way, they could be friends.

“Alright, master,” Keith said, pressing a hand to the black collar, running his fingers over the smoothness. “Should we have sex now?”

Well...he spoke too soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean...this is Keith being very out of character, but it'll all make sense as the story progresses.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, I just want this to be angst-free.  
> What is happening to me?

Free.

Finally... _finally, he was free._ After all these years of being stuck in that cage, after all the time he had spent hungry, injured, alone. He was finally free from the wretched chains he called life holding him back.

He'd have _never_ thought the feel of his owner's collar around his neck would feel so good. But it was there, warm to the touch – not cold like his fellow prisoners had constantly told him – and vibrating almost pleasantly under his throat. It wasn't tight either, nor did it cut off any chance of him speaking or breathing. He had heard so many stories about owners who tightened their pets collars on their throats until there was a line of blood seeping out, deep marks and cuts so raw it hurt to move, to talk, to breathe.

This collar...well, he could almost forget it was there, it was so loose. The leash and collar had sparked up many feelings of _good human._ It exuded just who and what his master was, _this collar made him feel good_. He felt the leash tug a little on his throat. Though it wasn't visible, it wasn't intended by his master to be a short one, it was long, roping around them multiple times before it reached the bracelet around his masters wrist. It proved to Keith that his master was a lenient and _good human._

This long leash to his master, it made him free from the Auction House. Free from Zarkon and the others who forced him to fight because of what he was, forced him to kill because he was _different._

He was happy here. With this Lance who had cared for him, made him feel better, helped him in his injuries, fed him and then freed him. Keith had scented the sweet and warm cloud that surrounded this human, this Lance McClain, and he had sensed no ill intent from the man – though it was still too early to say or do anything about that. He had bought a platinum Galran, a sex toy basically.

This human, this _Lance,_ had looked flabbergasted through everything. It was surprising to see a human who had bought a Galran _not knowing_ about the ritual, about the phrases and the words. Or even about how to put the collar on. _Why had he even bought him?_

Galran's were a popular fad nowadays, this human would not have thrown out so much money for something he didn't know anything about. Looking around the room, Keith could tell this man wasn't well off at all. So, _why?_

The words he had used to solidify their bond, the way he had said it, it sounded like a vow. Like a marriage. And it was so much more interesting thing to witness than hearing stories about how other human's did it. Where they didn't care, or put any thought to it. Lance's dark skin had been slick with a sheen of anxious sweat, body vibrating with his skittish nerves, cheek bursting a bright pink, and his eyes...well, there was something about those eyes that had drawn Keith in like a moth to a flame.

_They were so blue._

At least his master was attractive.

He probably _wanted_ Keith. He could tell, in fact, he could _smell_ it on the pretty human. He _had_ bought a platinum Galran after all.

Keith scoffed at that. He had obviously pissed of that asshole Sendak one too many times enough to be changed ranks to platinum. _No one_ could afford a platinum Galran, which meant he would be stuck in that godforsaken Auction House until he died. The information those assholes at the stores told buyers about their kind. Platinum's needed extra love and attention, they were a 24/7 job. No one could afford a platinum Galran _and_ their upkeep. It was why _he_ was the only platinum Galran out there. Sendak was a fucking douche.

Which was why it was so surprising when the assholes from the store came to his cage, pulled it open and yanked him out, telling him he had been sold. _Sold?_ Who in their right mind brought a fucking platinum pet. He had thought it would be some rich, sadistic douche bag who would bark orders, and demand sex all the time.

He hadn't expected Lance.

The look on Sendak's face when he had stamped his owner lease with that thick red ink pad, giving him a look of shock and disgust, it had been enough to change his perception of the idea of being sold. And the kind and caring human who had looked after him and freed him only solidified that fact.

Maybe...so maybe...one night with this human would be enough for him.

It would be enough to give the human what he wanted, _what he bought Keith for_ , and then Keith could ask if he could leave, or if he could go outside and explore the world – something he had only heard stories about. He needed to find Shiro, too. Shiro would know what to do. Shiro would help him, he'd protect him.

But Keith had never...he'd...okay, so he was still a virgin, but he knew what to...okay, so he didn't exactly know _what_ to do. But this human might. Of course he would, someone as pretty as this Lance McClain probably had men and women lining up to fuck him. And Keith's heart just had to line up alongside it. Urgh.

“I...I don't...” Lance was _still_ being flustered. “You want me to have sex with you?”

Didn't he understand just how cute he was acting right now? It wasn't helping Keith out any, in fact it only made the Galran was to lean into him and have his master scratch his ears. It made Keith want to roll over and have Lance rub his belly. He was a pathetic Galran...and he knew he couldn't blame _just_ his instincts here. He had a crush on his master. _Just great._

“I think we should get to know one another first,” Lance continued, pushing Keith away from over him. Keith's eyebrow raised high into his hair line. What the fuck? So the human _didn't_ want to have sex with him?

“Why did you buy me then?”

Lance looked sheepish, eyes darting away. “To...to free you?”

 _Huh_...honesty. Well, he deserved honesty back, didn't he. “You've already freed me, master,”

Lance pushed him back, scrabbling his legs from under the Galran's body, and he didn't stop until his back hit the table. “ _Stop,_ just stop with the master stuff, _”_

Keith took a breath, trying to turn his body a certain way, he arched his back, his tail circling around him, his knees spread apart, hoping he looked sultry. “What would you like me to call you then?”

Lance's cheeks burst a bright pink, and he knew he had done _something_ right. Either that, or this human was easy. “Lance, call me Lance.”

“I'd really like to have sex with you, _Lance,_ ” Keith said with a slight pink bursting on his cheeks, he was still a virgin, sometimes humans preferred virgins, sometimes they preferred Galran's who knew what they were doing.

Lance's eyes widened, and he scrabbled back all the more. Keith had expected Lance to come towards him, expected Lance to jump on him and take him without asking for his consent.

He didn't expect Lance to scream the name; “Shiro!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Keith is trying...


	11. Chapter 11

Shiro.

Keith's eyes widened, and his heartbeat started thudding for a completely different reason than the pretty human between his legs. He couldn't have heard that right. Maybe...maybe he had hit his head or something? Maybe the collar was making him think odd things, maybe he was hallucinating.

There was no way.

Had Lance just called out the name Shiro?

Keith bolted back, slamming against the side of the bed. He...this couldn't be real. Lance watched him, with a look of confusion on that pretty face. Keith wanted to soothe him, his instincts for his new master making him want to help his master – well, he knew it wasn't only _just_ his Galran instincts making him think like that. But instead, Keith's heart beat skyrocketed, his breathing came out in raspy gasps. How was this even possible? It couldn't be the same Shiro he knew.

Could it?

He hadn't seen Shiro for years now, ever since he had witnessed Shiro being taken from the arena by that asshole Sendak. Shiro had been bloodied and bruised, yelling Keith's name through the crowd, telling him not to worry, that he'd be okay where he was going, that he'd come back. Keith had believed him then, he had to. And he still believed him now. Even though it had been years. Shiro was his only hope against the deceit of the Galran's working under Zarkon. Shiro would bring him out of the destruction, and save him from the pointless and hopelessness that was his life. Shiro had promised.

Yet he couldn't help but think. It had been years. _Years._ And Keith hadn't even heard a word about Shiro's attempt to rescue him from the house. He only had his phone calls, one a week, and Shiro always ended it the same way; 'give me time, I will save you,'.

And Keith had believed him. He will  _always_ believe him. Whatever Shiro must have been doing, why it took so long, why he was  _here right now._ Why Keith had been stuck in that auction house for such a long time after Shiro had left. Why he had been tortured, and abused by the other Galran's.  It must have made some sort of sense. There must have been a reason.

Keith's hand instinctively reached for his shirt pocket, grimacing when he felt it was still empty. He didn't know where he could have lost it. He _had_ to find it. What would Shiro say if he never found it again?

He heard the tell tale sign of heavy footprints – quite a few of them actually – thudding up the stairs outside his masters room. Danger? Lance had only called for one, why were there so many coming? His gaze went immediately to the door itself, yellow eyes narrowing, and he leaned forward into a hard stance, crouching down low, hands in fists, pressed to the ground, his long tail curled on the floor around him. His ears perked up, and his face was set in a growl.

He waited.

The doors burst open and he leaped into the air.

If it wasn't for Lance's hard body barrelling into his side and knocking them both onto the ground, he'd have gotten his prey. What the hell was Lance doing? There was danger coming, wasn't there? It was his job to protect his mater, wasn't it? He growled again, eager to push Lance's body from him. But the larger man wouldn't budge. Instead, he pressed down onto Keith, straddling his legs on either side of the Galran.

“Kitty, heel,” Lance commanded, looking down to him.

Keith harrumphed, rolling his eyes. He wasn't a kitten. But having Lance on top of him like this, _eh he'd let this one slide._ He looked up to the others who had entered the room. There was a small, big eyed one in the front, a massive and muscular dark skinned man next to her. A pretty, tall dark skinned woman was behind them, her white hair tied up in a bun on her head. And next to her.

“Shiro?”

Shiro. That was...that was Shiro. His hair was shorter now, neater too, but he still had the tuft of white in his hair. He looked much more well loved here, his skin was vibrant, and his body was much more bulky and strong looking than it had been in the arena. Shiro was no longer the lithe, weakened and bruised, yet extremely strong man Keith remembered him being. He looked better, stronger, faster. He looked  _happy._  

“Keith...” Shiro breathed, speaking slow, as if he were astonished. Keith could attest to that. He too was astonished on seeing him here. But _Shiro was here_. He had been here, all along. Why hadn't Shiro come for him?  Shiro reached out to him, wanting to touch him, but he suddenly held his hand back, dropping it to his side.

“You know him?” Lance asked, sitting up on Keith. His cheeks tinged a little pink when he realised just _where_ he was sitting, and that everyone was looking at him and his... his.... _Keith._ He slowly got up, taking a moment to recentre himself from everything that was happening. Standing up, he felt a little more in control now. It allowed him to see everything that was happening, Hunk stood there, eyeing him and Keith, holding his hands to his front, as if he were protecting himself. Pidge was leaning a little closer, gazing at Keith as if he were her next experiment.

But it was Shiro who surprised him. Shiro took a small step forward, coming through the others that were before him. Lance saw his gaze darting to Allura for a moment. His did too, so he saw her barely there nod to Shiro. Whatever for, Lance didn't know, but there was definitely something going on here, more so than what he initially thought.

“Y-yeah, I know him.” he spoke monotonously, as if his mind was far away. Lance wanted to shake him out of it, so they could talk, so Shiro could stop being so cryptic and explain what was happening. He looked weird like this, he looked as if all of his demons were floating before him, taunting him. Shiro took a good look at Keith, taking in everything, from the soles of his feet to the tips of his cat like ears.

He wasn't hesitating, not the least. He knew the Galran. And Lance wanted to know how.

“Keith's my...” Shiro paused, dropping down to his knees, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He reached for Keith, slowly and hesitantly running a hand through Keith's long hair, down to the back of his head, holding him steady, before pulling the Galran into a hug.

"He's my brother,”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuuuuun~!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short one today.  
> Shiro isn't too happy with Keith being a platinum pet.

_What the ever loving fuck was happening?_

It was safe to say that Shiro needed a moment to really think about what the fuck was happening around him right now. Not only had he finally, _finally,_ found his little brother after all these months of trying to free him – though he was already feeling so much guilt for having taken a short break in between his research, trying to figure out his own budding relationship with his owner and master Allura, and that had taken up so much more time than he had wanted to admit – how could it not, she was beauty and grace all wrapped up in the most gorgeous body he had ever seen. And his Gold instincts had made for him to want to be around her as much as he could.

She gave him a home, food and so much love, he didn't think he deserved any of it, but she was there, with that beautiful smile and those killer legs.

But that story was for another time.

His brother, his _baby brother,_ was here, in front of him, looking at him with such love and adoration, one that only a younger brother could give to his older brother after such a long time apart. It made Shiro's heart ache madly in his chest, his chest constricted, feeling tight. His poor Keith. And then his heart cracked, because he knew just what this meant. Looking around, he saw the large box in the corner of the room, the name of the store and the silver band around the top, showcasing just what level and grade the pet was. Many things had been jostled inside the box from when it most likely had been kicked to the side – which was such a Lance thing to do – he spied the silver boxes, knowing only Platinum pets had that. And then his gaze roved over to the black collar around Keith's neck. It was loose, which he was thankful for, and he knew that Lance wouldn't have made the leash so small, so short. 

He looked like he was able to breathe, he looked like the metal wasn't cutting into him, or shocking him, it was a good feeling for Keith, otherwise he'd be trying to do everything he could to take it off. Shiro knew Lance wouldn't have put the collar on Keith, he just wasn't that kind of a kid, so that meant Keith _wanted_ it. And that meant Keith had been forced to his instincts.

That old hag Haggar must have infected him.

Keith...his poor little Keith...he was a platinum pet.

“This can't be possible.” Shiro murmured, reaching out to touch the thin black band circling Keith's throat. Because he would not believe for even one second Keith had asked for this. No one asked to be a platinum pet, no one asked for the pain that came with being platinum, no one wanted the sheer instinctual need to be with their master, to touch them, to feel them, to press into them, all the time. Otherwise they'd pine away and die.

_Oh god!_

He had heard so many awful stories, had met with many, many, _many_ Gold pets, to know what it was like to go Platinum. All of the Gold ranked Galran's had done everything they could to not be a platinum pet, they acted so very obediently, did everything they could to stay with their current owners or masters. To return back from an owner, to be defective, to be... _so feral..._ there was a reason why a Platinum Pet was so expensive.

And Keith...poor Keith was one.

He watched the tears sting Keith's yellow eyes, his ears dropping down low onto his hair with his forlorn expression. With a blink, the tears dropped down in thin tracks along his cheeks, curing his chin and dripping down onto his palm. “I'm sorry,” he breathed out, sucking in harrowed and shaking breaths. “I'm so sorry,”

Shiro pulled him in for another hug, shushing him. No, there was no need for him to be sorry. He hadn't done anything wrong. Shiro patted Keith's hair, remembering the feel of them from those nights they spent together, talking about their future, of what they wanted and expected from the world. Of a day when Galran's could walk around without the leash of their owners around their necks. Shiro revelled in the scent of his brother. Familiarity is what they desperately need right now, and he was adamant to give it all to his brother.

“It wasn't your fault,” Shiro murmured into his hair, spying the bruises and contusions on his visible skin. His blood boiled at that, because he saw just how many bandages and plasters were wrapped around him too. _Sendak was going to pay._ God, how long had it been?

“Uhh...mind telling us what's going on?” Lance's voice interrupted them, and Shiro felt Keith stiffen a little in his arms, his long tail swishing along the carpet to reach out for Lance's ankle, wanting to wrap around it and steady himself to his owner.

_Platinum_ _pet_. Oh god, what had he done? Why hadn't he found Keith sooner?

“Like he said,” Keith answered, peeling away from his big brother. He wiped away his tears, sucking in a brave breath. He looked up to Lance, his yellow eyes softening a little when they bore into the blue. “Shiro's my brother,"

Hunk piped up, shuddering a little in his spot behind them. “Shiro's a Galran?”

“No...” Shiro answered, getting up from his position. “It's a little more complicated than that,”

“No it isn't,” Keith replied vehemently. “Shiro adopted me,”

“As his brother?” Pidge asked, straightening her glasses, taking in the new information.

Keith nodded. This was not a hard thing to grasp. _Wait_...oh no, did they know Shiro had been in the Auction House with him? He peered up at Shiro and saw his sheepish expression, and he knew he had let the cat out of the bag. Thankfully, Shiro changed the topic. He raised his arm up to the pretty dark skinned woman who was standing there, silently, behind everyone.

“This is Allura,” he introduced, placing a hand on Keith's back and pushing him forward to the tall woman.

Keith shuddered, he knew that name. Allura was Shiro's owner. She was the beautiful, kind and considerate woman Shiro had been telling her about all those times whenever they spoke to one another. But she had a scowl on her face. _Oh no, she hated him._

“I can't believe this,” she answered, her accent so pure, and so different from the others. She reached for Keith then, pulling him into a hug. “How could they do such abhorrent things to you,”

“I'm fine,” Keith's reply was muffled by her ample chest, he almost felt like he was suffocating with how tight she was hugging him.

She pulled back, looking him square in the eyes. “You are safe here, Keith,”

Keith nodded. He took a look around to the others, and he honestly did feel like he was safe. Safe from the tyranny, safe from the slavery, safe from Zarkon. He was here, he was safe, and he was loved.

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, decisions need to be made.

Keith, Keith, Keith.

Oh, there was something so much more to Keith than just him being a Galran Platinum Pet. Lance hadn't expected Shiro to know Keith, let alone be related to the purple tinged alien he owned – which fuck, now with the collar and lead, Lance actually, officially owned Keith now. He wasn't sure he was happy about that – it was all sorts of wrong.

He watched Keith intently as he spoke to Shiro, about their relationship, of what had happened when Shiro had been gone. It sparked up thousands of questions in Lance's mind. The first and most prominent being ' _Shiro was Galran too?_ ' But that couldn't be right, Shiro was human...wasn't he? He surely _looked_ human, pale skin, dark hair – with that white tuft at the front which, yeah Lance really kind of thought it made Shiro look all the more alluring – and the massive body.

But...he couldn't be a Galran. First of all, they were purple. Tall, long tailed, cat eared and vicious. However, Keith was not tall, he did have a long tail, with Lance noted was still wrapped in a wide circle around his legs, however he did have fluffy cat ears and he  _had_ been vicious. But he had been injured.  Remembering the injury, Lance gazed down to his... _pet..._ and saw Keith was holding onto his side, the injured side, and was gasping a little as he spoke. Now, Lance believed reunions were important, and that he shouldn't stop this one, especially with how soothing it looked. But Keith was in pain, and Lance didn't want to see Keith in pain.

_Whaaat...?_ He can't take care of his ...Keith?

“Can we move this to the bed?” Lance asked, motioning to Keith. “He...uh...he might exacerbate his injuries more,”

Pidge muttered something under her breath about a four syllable word, or something, but he paid no heed to her. He instead helped Keith up and slowly, with the help of Shiro and Hunk, placed him carefully on the bed.

“What did Sendak do to you?” Shiro asked, lifting Keith's shirt up to see the bandaged body underneath.

Keith shook his head. “Not Sendak, Haggar,”

Well, Lance had never seen Shiro angry, hell nobody had. He wasn't that kind of person. But right now, Shiro looked pissed. He looked so angry, that it made Lance shudder and take a step back away from the man. His arms were crossed over his chest, his eyes were narrow, his lips thin and there was a distinctly low growl rumbling in his throat. Well, d amn ..  _that_ was very Galra like.

Keith reached a hand up and placed it on Shiro's arm. “It's alright, she didn't get very far, I was bought before she could do anything bad,”

Shiro's arms fell to the side, and he dropped down to his knees once again, reaching out for his younger brother and wrapping his arms around Keith's waist, holding him close and muttering words under his breath, words that Lance couldn't make out.  Keith patted him lightly on his head, looking up at Lance. As if Lance knew what to do. He had no idea what was going on. Just that both Keith and Shiro needed this closeness right now.

And in that moment, Lance was thankful he had purchased Keith. Who knew what could have happened to either of them if he hadn't gone to the Galran Store that day.

“I think we should let Keith rest now,” Allura's voice cut through the air. “He'll be here in the morning, Shiro.”

Shiro nodded, sliding his arms from around Keith and getting up. He took another long look at Keith, nodding to him, telling him that he was safe now. They they were never going to be separated now. And followed Allura and the others out of Lance's room.  Lance sat down on the bed next to Keith, both of them staring at the now closed door. He didn't know what to say, or what to do. What  _did_ one do after something like that?

“Thank you,” Keith's voice was low, his shoulders shaking a little too. Was he crying? “If it weren't for you—”

“Don't thank me, Keith.” Lance replied, looking down to his lap, wringing his fingers together nervously. “I still bought you, I still... _own_ you.” he heard Keith suck in a breath, so he quickly added, confessing his reasoning. “Look, I don't want to do anything you don't want to do. Gotta say the kiss was fantastic, but I don't expect it again. In fact, once you're all healed and better, you can go wherever you want. The collar can stay to keep you out of the stores, but I won't expect anything, you're free Keith,”

Keith took a moment to process everything Lance was saying. It all sounded too good to be true. And honestly, if he wasn't in pain, he'd have gotten up, said his thanks, and had left. But his mission had been to find Shiro, and he had. 

Shiro was here.  So...where did they go from here?

Instead, he turned to Lance, reaching for his twisting fingers, and placed them on his own lap. His tail spun around and wrapped in a large circle on the bed around them. His tail had the same idea he had in his head.  He didn't want to leave Lance. He liked what Lance had here. This was a weird, kinda awkward family. He could sense that. As soon as Lance had called in fear, they had all come running, they had all listened when Lance said he wasn't a monster, they had let Keith do whatever he wanted, they had...they had treated him like a person. Not like a pet.  Lance was...

...Lance was more than just an owner to Keith. And though he knew this was way too soon, this was still after all their first day. Keith could sense there was something about Lance that was different than all of the others he had met. Lance would be good for him. And maybe, when Keith was ready, Lance would be able to help him find the thing he had lost.

Maybe staying here wouldn't be all that bad?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...Keith is staying...yay!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting hot up in here.
> 
> Sorry its so short, I'm not feeling all that great today, it's rather short too. But still good...yeah, still good...  
> eheheh...sorry.

“I don’t want to be free,”

Okay, so he couldn’t have heard that right. Lance was at a complete loss.

Keith stood before him, looking all sorts of sweet and adorable. His purple tinged cheeks burst a bright red in his embarrassment. His tail flicking this way and that, the collar wrapped loosely around his neck glinted in the lamp light.

He looked… _fucking adorable._

Lance smiled, unable to take just how cute the little Galran he called his pet was being right now, standing there, urgh. There was a limit to how much Lance could take. He hadn’t been lying when he said that kiss had been all sorts of fantastic. He kinda wanted to kiss Keith again.

Wasn’t that weird?

It seemed Keith had the same intentions and thought. He returned Lance’s smile and took a step closer, which was when Lance discovered a multitude of things. Firstly, his body was not listening to his head, which was telling him that he barely knew this man, this Galran, who was basically his fucking pet. But…there was something so sweet about him, something that hit much innocent potential straight on its target.

And secondly, which Lance found to be quiet unsettling, Keith smelled good, like a sexy and alluring scent that drew Lance to him. Closing his eyes, he felt his body actually tingle, like those romance movies he pretended he didn’t watch.

Something zinged through him, making him hyper aware of the man before him, a kind of bone melting desire that had been buried deep inside him, one that he hadn’t thought anyone would be able to get out.

When he opened his eyes again, Keith was standing even closer. His eyes weren’t the solid warm purple he’d thought, there were yellowing flecks dancing in them, they were all kinds of beautiful, like an odd star light. Lance felt like he could have drowned in all that deliciousness.

Well, that’s not a bad way to go. Death by lust.

“Owner?” Keith said, and Lance felt his mind go fuzzy.

He shook his head. “Lance. Please, it’s Lance,”

Keith nodded. “Lance,”

And it was that, just that. Just his name in that deep voice, a voice that was full of promises and fantasies he had intended to keep. And suddenly, every single part of Lance that had been dormant, that had sat in the background and waited for that inevitable person – _the one_ – to come into his life. It sat up and started panting, wanting more.

Say my name again, _please!_

Keith stepped in a little closer, “Lance…?”

Lance made his mind up then. He had every intention of letting Keith go the moment he had said he wanted to leave – though it would hurt Lance more than he’d like to admit – but right now, Keith was here, he was waiting and willing and wanting. So instead of taking a step back, he took one forward and met Keith halfway on shaking legs. And what happened next was by far one of the oddest things that had happened to him.

Odd…scary…and fucking amazing.

He felt that long tail wrap around his leg, gripping tight as if it belonged there. A heavenly sigh drifted passed Lance’s lips as he wrapped his arms around Keith, and then he leaned down a little, pressing their lips together. Keith tasted like the soup he had eaten before, that and something wild.

It felt wicked…like they shouldn’t be doing this. Lance had only met Keith mere hours ago, and they had barely spoken passed the whole collar thing. And yet here they were, making out as if they had known each other for years, as if they had been dating for decades.

There was something about that mouth, _god that mouth,_ it had slayed ever part of Lance from the first press, the first touch. It started off gentle, and honestly, Lance had expected it to stay that way, but then when they pulled away, and Lance had a moment to look at Keith, to see his flushed face, those gorgeous eyes open wide, and those pretty ears he couldn’t help but lower his head.

He pressed his lips to the hollow of Keith’s throat, mouthing at collar out of the way. Beneath his lips he could hear Keith’s jack rabbiting pulse. He couldn’t help but want to taste the skin.

Oh, there was something weird happening to him right now, especially if he was thinking of marking the Galran’s skin. Maybe there was something in the collar and lead that was making him feel like this? Maybe it was the sweet, _so sweet,_ scent of the Galran under his tongue. Or maybe…

Maybe Lance really had fallen for the Galran?

This platinum hottie, who had a voice like an angel, tasted wild, smelled fantastic and kissed like a dream…and who was probably going to leave as soon as he was able to.

Lance felt a little off when he thought about that. It had been his intention to let Keith be free of this all, that was the reason he had bought the guy in the first place. Yet now, now that he had Keith in his arms, he really didn’t want him to go.

At his gasp of pleasure, Lance made his way slowly along that purple tinged jaw, over warm, soft skin to his pointed cat like ear. The sound Keith made when Lance pressed his lips to those pretty ears would be forever stuck in Lance’s mind. _Wow…_

When he finally lifted his face to look at Keith, he hid back a smirk. Keith’s eyes were huge, a sea of dazed heat. _Tighter. Hold him tighter._

Lance kissed him again, those little cat-like whimpers and mewling going straight through him and directly to his interested cock. He felt Keith’s tail tighten around his legs, and his clawed fingers digging into his flesh, but he was holding himself back, and Lance did not like that.

“It’s fine,” Lance murmured into his mouth, “You can do whatever you want,”

And then Keith’s arms wound around his neck and he was kissing him, an all-consuming, earthy, raw kiss, and Lance was a goner. He groaned into that perfect mouth, at the pleasure of his firm touch, at the rush of heat, at the anticipation that swam through him instead of good sense.

_Closer…more closer…_

Again Keith tore free of his mouth and stared up at him, eyes feral, mouth wet, breathing wildly. Lance had no idea what he was looking for, but apparently he found it because he tugged him back down, his fingers digging into Lance’s biceps as if he couldn’t get enough.

That made two of them.

Lance kissed his way down Keith’s throat, and Keith gave a low, growling, and exceedingly sexy, gasp when he got to the spot where Keith’s neck met his shoulder.

Ah shit…

Keith’s eyes slid closed, and he shuddered with the intensity. “You taste good,” he murmured.

“I…Keith, are…are we?” He tried, mentioning the soft and very welcoming bed just sitting there behind them, the covers turned over from when Keith had left it moments before, beckoning them both to it.

Lance lifted his head as Keith opened his eyes, opaque with hunger and desire. His hair was wild, a few curls clinging to his face and dancing in the wind, calling to Lance. Needing to touch him, Lance raised a hand to stroke his hair back.

“ _Yes._ ” Keith murmured, clenching tighter at Lance’s body, wanting to get closer.

Oh god, this was perfect, this was amazing, this was…this was…so very wrong!

“We can’t do this,” Lance yelled, clenching his eyes shut and holding his hands to his head. Shock had him going still, fingers hovering near Keith’s forehead.

Slowly Keith lowered his hand. “Lance—”

With a quick, single shake of his head, Lance took a giant step back, his eyes shuttered from Keith. “We don’t know one another, I can’t…this isn’t… _right,_ ”

“What?” Keith’s brain raced, trying to figure out what had just happened. He was so close to getting what he wanted. But… “But…I want…it?”

Turning, Lance faced Keith, looking thoroughly ravished. “We need to at least get to know one another first,” he tried. “About that kiss. I shouldn’t have—we can’t—” he blew out a breath and went with honesty. “I don’t even know you, but I feel like…I want to,”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late posting~! I've not been feeling very well.  
> So, I hope this makes some semblance of sense~! Sorry in advance.

Things had slowed down after their last kiss.

Keith sat on the bed, legs crossed and tail twitching this way and that over his head. Lance tried to focus on his work – he had homework, he needed to finish his assignments. He was not going to let the excuse of welcoming his new Galran pet into the home stop him from working, no way no how – but his lead was warming pleasantly on his wrist, and he really should read up on what that meant.

In fact, he should read up more on what owning a Platinum Galran pet meant.

No. Work. Do your work. It was safer than where his mind was wandering right now, which was screaming at him to go straight to the bed, lie down next to Keith and take in that alluring scent of his.

Too much had happened in the past few hours, and honestly, Lance’s mind was going a mile a minute. It was overwhelming how quickly he had fallen for the purple tinged man. Way too fortunate in fact.

His fingers moved of their own provocation, and he found himself deep in the search sites for Galran's and relationships with their owners. He hadn’t found much on platinum pets, they were a dime a dozen among the rest of the pets and their brand labels.

But after a quick search, he had found that Galran’s did not in fact let off any pheromones, or force their owners into doing anything. Platinum pets included. Galran’s just didn’t _have_ that ability.

So that just meant that Lance was fucked.

Because that meant, Lance had literally fallen for a man at first sight. This was almost impossible. He hadn’t been wrong when he said he wanted to get to know the Galran better. After all, he wanted Keith to know he wasn’t just a pet in this house, he wasn’t someone to be owned, or that he was just an ornament, a toy for him to play with.

He was a living, breathing person, who had his own rights and privileges, just like the rest of them.

Tell that to the Galran, however.

For some reason, everything about Keith exuded ‘steer clear’, yet there were many moments – much like the one he was witnessing right now – where Keith looked like he wanted to curl up into a ball and just let the lazy sun rays take him into slumber. Or the fact that he was curling up in on himself, yet his tail was still flicking out to Lance, as if searching for him.

Lance cooed, wanting to reach out to that slightly fuzzy tail, and feel it. He knew it was smooth, when it had been wrapped around his ankle before. He wished he could…hey wait.

“Hey Keith,” Lance called. Keith looked up from his spot on the bed, eyeing his master. He watched as Lance dropped to his knees in front of the box, pulling out things and placing them neatly on the ground, before he found what he was looking for. He held the box in his lap, opening it and picking up the brush with the point. “Want me to groom you?”

Keith forced his instincts back, the ones that wanted him to vault up and out of the bed and straight into his owners’ lap, to rub his ears against Lance’s skin, suck in his adoring scent and just let his owner brush him.

Instead he crossed his arms over his chest, looking to one side in hopes to hide the blush creeping on his cheeks, and scoffed.

“Fine,” he replied, slowly – though his heart was making all sorts of weird flips and vaults at the idea of being closer to his owner, of creating so many memories, deepening their bond, of being cared for.

He’d never felt that before.

Slipping into Lance’s lap was way more easier than his rampant heart had led him to believe, he felt like he belonged there, laying with his knees curled up to his chest, head resting on Lance’s knee, body melting into his body. Oh…he was warm, and smelled so good.

Keith _felt_ good.

He didn’t focus on just how he was feeling so much after knowing so little about the man. But thankfully Lance hadn’t said anything, neither had he done anything. Keith’s ear flicked up, listening to the harsh and heavy breathing, hearing his jack rabbiting heart beating.

“Well? I’m waiting,” Keith said, hoping it would stir Lance enough to actually consider doing something, other than sitting there.

Lance was lost. His fingers dug into the carpet, his breathing ragged. Oh god, he hadn’t expected Keith to say yes. Well, he had tried to do the grooming as a way of getting his mind off the raunchy and quite naughty thoughts he was having. He hadn’t thought _this_ would happen. Yet here it was…clear as day.

And for that moment, he didn’t see the difference between this being good or bad. Because Keith looked so…so at home in his lap, he couldn’t tear his gaze away. His blood grew hot under his skin, tingles scorching his flesh; everything ached in a pleasant way. All because of the pretty Galran lying in his lap.

Though it went against everything Lance thought was right for their relationship – the getting to know him was supposed to be his way of getting them to take things slow – he couldn’t help but want to touch Keith, to show him that he was here, that he was loved. Because yeah, he’d admit…he didn’t know if it was _love_ per say. But there was a definite _like_ in their newly found relationship.

So he reached forward with the brush poised in his hand, and saw the tail flick up in a small arch so it was in front of his face. He took hold of the soft, yet firm, appendage, and ran the thinly bristled brush over it, smoothing down the furls and curls. The brush bristles seemed to sink in, and Lance suddenly had the notion that this wasn’t so much as a ‘brushing’ but a massage, what with the way Keith literally melted into his lap, vibrating and pliant.

Oh wow.

So Lance continued, his breath ragged as he watched Keith’s chest rising and falling, felt his heart beating against his leg, in awe at how Keith’s back arched the closer to the base of his tail he went.

It was endearing, and Lance felt his limbs trembling, but he continued the slow brushing, forcing the twitch of his cock down. Forcing himself to think of Keith as a cat, like the pet he was supposed to be – though every single thing in Lance saw Keith as a person, not a pet.

This was nice, this was good. Looking down, he saw Keith’s eyes were closed, his ears dropping down in his relaxation, that vibrating from his chest turning to purring as he flicked his tail closer to Lance’s free hand, asking for him to hold it and brush him a bit more.

It was odd how perfect this felt. How right.

“Feel good?” he asked, looking down to that almost unbearably adorable face. Keith let out a pleased noise, followed by the purring.

Yeah…this…this felt right.

Too bad it was all going to go to hell in a hand basket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tail grooming will come again soon~!
> 
> Next update...let's just say Pidge should steer clear of water...


	16. Chapter 16

Oh the tension was palpable.

He hadn’t for a moment expected Pidge to rush into the room with so much enthusiasm, holding a covered plate filled with…green looking goo – he had to give her props however, it _smelled_ good, and it probably tasted good too, Pidge was never really all that good with cooking, that was Hunk’s job, and when she did cook, it was always like some kind of evil witch concocting potions and elixirs in a massive black cauldron. Unless of course she blew something up, or something caught on fire that had happened a few times too.

Thank fuck for Shiro and his ability to not be able to take the puppy dog eyes they had perfected over the years.

However, the fact that he was…what, _half Galran?_ Part Galran? Galran adjacent? Really didn’t help them any, because he would be vicious whenever he needed to be. And an angry Shiro is one you steered clear from.

Yeah, back to the matter at hand, Lance hadn’t expected Pidge to come into his room like a tornado, and then to unceremoniously slip over his boxes – he really should find a place for them, but that wasn’t really the first thing on his mind, he had a lapful of gorgeous, pliant and purring Galran after all – thought to be honest, that might have been the cause as to why she hadn’t been paying attention.

Now that he thought about it, their position wasn’t exactly…decent, and from a quick glance, it could spark all sorts of thoughts – thoughts that made his cheeks burst a bright red.

The precious, delicious smelling food ’goo’ concoction she had so eagerly been wanting to give them, flew out of her outstretched hands, and like some kind of cartoon-inspired gust of power, the plate toppled over, spinning in a mad circle, splashing the goo all over the place, before it landed, with a harsh crack, onto Keith’s head.

To say the Galran was pissed off was one thing…let’s just say, let a sleeping Galran lie.

He had gotten up with such fury, green goo clashing with the complete purple he had turned now. His eyes were completely yellow now, shining almost neon like, lips pulled back in a snarl, fangs gleaming like some kind of Dracula. They looked longer, like a sabres, and they were _sharp!_

His claws were the same, frightening as he held them up, ready to attack whatever the threat was. He saw Pidge, and his eye fidgeted a little, his tail flicked in a maddening circle around Lance, wrapping around him as far as he could go, keeping him close.

But that was the moment when the food goo, along with the cracked ceramic dripped down his pretty purple face and into his eye. His growl was so loud it shook Lance to his very core, but he sensed the pain. A strong heat pulsed on the lead on his wrists.

He was up before the thought even crossed his mind. Keith looked hurt, and exhausted from everything that had happened. Though Lance couldn’t see, he knew there was blood seeping out of him from the plate.

Lance knew the Galran he now had as a pet needed a nice, long bath, and a nice long rest. All of that goo, and blood would start irritating him soon enough, and Lance didn’t want to be there for an irate Galran.

With that in mind, he lifted the Galran from his lap and held him close. Keith fell pliant, it was an odd thing to see him go a one sixty from being all ferocious to this…little kitty. Huh…that was interesting.

Pidge was gasping out apologies now, having been saying them for a while now. Lance had told her not to worry, thanking her for the food, and then swiftly walked out of his room and down the short corridor to the bathroom.

Lance hesitated.

Was he really going to give the Galran a bath?

Alright, so he _had_ seen Keith shirtless, but not completely naked. And he had touched Keith all over – to check for injuries. And they had had that scorching kiss. Looking down, he saw the utter exhaustion on Keith’s face, and a slight fear in his yellow eyes, and he felt the strong urge to ease Keith’s fears.

“Don’t be afraid,” he had said softly.

Keith shook his head; loose tendrils of his hair swaying on his forehead, making him look softer than Lance had ever seen him before. More kitten like, in a weird way.

Lance pushed the door to the bathroom open and settled Keith onto the toilet seat in the corner of the room. His mind whirled. Was he really going to do this? Would he be able to do this? Or would he freeze up or have a panic attack in the middle of it all? His heart hammered against his chest, cutting his breath into shocked fragments.

But Keith was watching him with such trust, such awe, such _love_. It made Lance want to be extra careful with the Galran. It made his heart swell at the thought of caring for someone.

Lance heard Keith mumble something under his breath, but didn’t catch the words. He instead turned the showers on in the large tub. He reached for the Galran, but paused when he saw Keith flinch slightly.

Was Keith afraid of him? Or was he afraid of taking a shower together? Being naked and having Lance actually touch his skin, wash him? Or was it something else entirely?

He saw Keith’s pretty eyes – which had turned back to his dark purple – dart to his own tail, which was flicking here and there. What was…did he want something? Lance really needed to read up on tail-nese, because he really didn’t understand what was happening.

But, Lance knew the need of something routine to soothe the soul. He had his own skin care routines which he did every night to help soothe him. But, he didn’t know what Keith needed; maybe his tail was something like a security blanket?

Lance remembered when he first taught his baby brother how to shoot a bb gun, the one that shot foam darts that bounced off, pellets were stupid and only injured, no matter how good you were.

His brother may have been old enough to hold and shoot one, but in Lance’s eyes, he was still too young. But he had insisted he wanted to learn – to be like his big brother. Lance was a great shot, and he had learned to shoot at a similar age.

His brother had been so scared of the gunshot, so frightened of the loud bang, so against the idea of hurting someone accidentally. He had put the gun down and rushed into his room. Lance had followed and found him on his bed, huddled under his security blanket, shivering.

His brother had soon grown out of that, but he never went near a bb gun ever again. But Lance knew that feeling he had felt all those years ago. He still felt the need to have something to secure him, to soothe him. So Lance knew its need, its importance.

So he was confused why Keith was being so hesitant to do what he needed to do to soothe himself. Did he not want to? No, not with the way the Galran was eyeing the tip of his twitching tail. Lance knew he wanted to do something with his appendage – not that Lance knew _what_ that something was.

Why didn’t he just do it? He had no problems before.

Unless, it was because of Lance. Did Keith not want to act the way he needed to right now because of what _he_ thought? Sure, the idea of having a pet Galran thrust upon him was a scary concept, but Lance had seen the way Keith was – had grown a healthy crush on the man as well – but he was up to the task. Hell, he’d do anything to make Keith see to reason.

But then again, Keith hadn’t really done much with his tail, except wrap it around him. Maybe _that_ was what he wanted to do.

With that in mind, instead of reaching for Keith’s arm, Lance moved in closer and let the Galran rest his head on his chest, embracing him like they had done before, lightly scratching his cat like ears.

This was something the Galran would be more familiar with. Something Keith was more comfortable with right now. He ran his fingers through Keith’s hair, letting the soft dark tendrils curl around his fingers.

“Don’t be afraid,” Lance said soothingly. “Don’t be afraid to be yourself with me – to be vulnerable. I promise I won’t ever hurt you, or abuse you in any way,”

Keith nodded. Slowly his tail flicked up, and he wrapped it tightly around Lance’s waist. Startled, Lance wanted to shove the appendage away from him, but then he could feel the sudden relaxation in Keith. His tense muscles loosened, his head rested more firmly on Lance’s chest, and his eyes fell closed.

Okay, so he’d let Keith have this one.

“No sleeping, Keith,” Lance pulled him back and holding him at arms-length.

He took a good look at the Galran; Keith looked exhausted, his purple eyes stood out against the red rimming around them. Keith turned a healthy shade of pink under his intense gaze. “Lance?”

Lance shivered, sucking in a deep breath. “Let’s do this,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooo...bath time~!


	17. Chapter 17

Lance woke up to the sound of deep breathing by his ear.

Sleepily, he noticed a strong scent of candied flowers and rainwater dance along his nose. It was surprisingly soothing. Stretching out his tired and overworked muscles, he felt a heavy weight on his chest and something wrapping itself tighter around his arms and legs.

Suddenly alert, Lance pried his eyes open and was greeted with darkness. There was a small body lying on top of him, holding him captive to his bed, and there was something extremely soft covering his eyes.

Wha—oh, right.

Keith.

Lance wrinkled his nose at the soft wiry feel of the Keith’s long bat like ears covering his face. He snaked his free hand up to the tips of the Galran’s ears, running his fingers through the smaller hairs he found there. He ran his fingers down the softness, the thin sensation causing bolts of lightning to course through his fingers.

It was pleasant, addictive.

But Keith really shouldn’t be stretching his body out so quickly, Galran or not.

Lance reached up as high as his pinned down arms would allow him, and gripped at the warm Galran sleeping on top of him. His eyes slowly adapted to the darkness and he saw the bandages askew on Keith’s body before his face.

Poor little thing.

Keith murmured something in his sleep, wrapping himself tighter around the Cuban. Lance heard him wince when he tried to move his tail. He patted and stroked his fingers lightly through the aching appendage and visibly saw the affect it had on the Galran.

Keith’s tail rose up as far as it could and wrapped around the two, creating a space for just them. Keith lying on top of him was like having a living, breathing duvet on top of him, pleasant, warm, safe and Lance found he really didn’t want to move.

They were both exhausted from the days’ events. Lance had given Keith a quick shower, running his fingers through his hair, making sure not to exacerbate his injuries. He had picked up the wet and shivering Galran from the warm shower room, shrouding him in the largest and fluffiest towel he owned, and brought him back to the safety of his room. Keith had held on tight, tears having stopped, pressing his face to the curve of Lance’s neck, teeth gnawing against his skin as he let Lance take him.

It was a testament on the Galran’s part at the trust he was giving Lance. He had been so jittery and threatening before, but now it seemed that gnawing and nibbling on his neck, scenting him was giving some sort of hope to the Galran, as if tasting Lance told him that he wasn’t a threat.

And Lance was grateful for that. He didn’t want to cause Keith any more pain, especially after what he had been through.

He understood why Keith had been so apprehensive. Though he may never understand just what Keith had gone through, he had had his own problems too; it was hard to purge all of his sad and broken memories from his mind. Even now, those thoughts still lingered, still lurked in the recesses of his mind, and every time he had a chance to rest, relax, be vulnerable, those thoughts, those nightmares would come back full force.

He had never told any of his friends about his nightmares, they all had enough on their plates. Lance had his responsibilities, and he was going to go at this with his whole being. He was going to make sure Keith came back whole.

Looking down at the innocent sleeping face of his pet Galran, Lance felt his heart melt.

A Galran was sleeping in his arms; this was something so unexpectedly human. He had seen so many Galran pets, read so many stories of Galran’s who had been treated badly with their owners, and at the Galran centres where they were kept and sold.

God, Keith had been so hungry when he had first come here. Lance would have to stock up; he didn’t want Keith to ever go hungry. What else would he need?

Maybe Lance could help by making them all breakfast for now.

He decided his next move almost instantly; he grabbed at the Galran lightly, and rolled them both over to the side.

Keith, not expecting the move, tightened his grip on Lance’s shirt, but when his side hit the soft, warm bed, he lay against it, tail finding his fingers and wrapping up in his touch. Lance slithered out of the bed, careful not to jostle Keith.

Keith let out a low whine, and made sleepy, barely there grabbing motions with his fingers. He searched for Lance until he found the hoodie Lance had discarded before laying them in bed. Keith wrapped his fingers around the material and held it close to his face.

Lance let out a long breath, his heart thumping loud. That was…just too adorable. Even in his sleep the Galran was looking for him.

His heart swelled and he leaned down, tapping his lips on Keith’s forehead. He tucked the covers around the Galran, mindful of his injuries, and his tail, and made his way out of the room.

The bunker was quiet, deathly so. He saw Allura’s room door closed and came to the conclusion that Allura would have most likely gone back to sleep. They had all been so tired. He was glad he had gotten a few, blissful hours of sleep with the Galran by his side.

Lance’s eyes widened, he…he hadn’t had any nightmares. No bad dreams, no horrible memories, nothing. His dreams had been filled with nothing, nothing that he could remember anyway.

Was that Keith’s doing? Or had he been so exhausted that he hadn’t had the energy to dream. Was that even a thing? He’d have to find out. Maybe asking Shiro would help.

Lance made his way to the kitchens; he flipped on the lights, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. His body automatically reached for the coffee machine in the corner of the room. It was empty.

With a sigh, he took out the coffee filter and started a new batch of coffee. He didn’t think he’d be able to stay awake the entire day with just one cup of coffee.

While the coffee brewed, Lance’s thoughts returned to the Galran asleep on his bed. They’d have to accommodate him to the apartment, would they have to buy more food? Would he have to buy things for a Galran? Or was everything he needed in that box the agency had dropped off?

Keith was sucking his tail a lot, that couldn’t be good. It must have been some kind of stimulation, something to keep him calm. But at the same time, he had been nibbling on Lance’s neck. Was that something new he was doing?

Honestly, maybe Lance would have to buy a pacifier or something. Though it was an odd thought, he didn’t want Keith to gnaw straight through his tail. Lance would have to make sure to keep his tail clean, and injury free.

What else would they need?

The ding of the coffee machine brought him back to the present. He poured the hot coffee into his cup and took a tentative sip. He settled onto the table, sipping on his coffee.

Shiro chose then to appear through the doorway, he looked exhausted, eyes rimmed red, skin pale and face almost sagged. He needed some more sleep.

“Oh, hello Lance…” He said, bringing the younger man out of his trance.

Shiro nodded and made his way to the coffee, pouring himself a cup. He settled in front of Lance and took a long sip. It seemed like Lance wasn’t the only one in need of coffee.

“How’s Keith doing?” Shiro asked, placing the cup down on the table with a resounding thud.

Lance looked down into the murky darkness of his coffee. “He’s doing well, but I think he still thinks he’s being kept prisoner, he’d been gnawing at his tail,”

Shiro nodded, knowing exactly where this was heading to. “Keith does that whenever he’s anxious. He doesn’t know the damage he is doing to it,”

Lance nodded, thankful that at least one of his theories was coming true. He’d need to make sure to keep a keen eye on Keith and his tail. “He responds to my heartbeat, it calms him down.”

Lance expected Shiro to tease him, but Shiro looked lost himself. He really needed to catch up on some sleep.

“How’s Allura doing?” Lance asked he really didn’t want to get into the whole ‘Shiro may be a Galran’ thing; it didn’t look like Shiro was ready to talk about it just yet. He’d wait for whenever that time came.

“Yeah…I’ve explained everything to her…she…she’s so great about it.” Shiro suddenly looked up, and let out a long sigh. “I can’t believe my little brother is here,”

“But…just how?” Lance stopped his train of thought; he didn’t want to force Shiro into talking.

Shiro didn’t answer; instead he jerkily transitioned to another subject.

“I think Keith is in some kind of trauma, he’s distressed and scared,” Shiro’s nail chipped at the ceramic mug in front of him. “I don’t know, but he won’t…he won’t come to me…you’ve got to promise me you’ll look after him,”

Lance nodded at the look Shiro was giving him; it wasn’t just the look a brother gave when he was giving the shovel talk. This was Shiro, the Galran, threatening Lance’s life if anything where to happen to his brother.

Shiro really was a Galran.

He nodded again, making sure Shiro understood just how invested he was in keeping Keith safe.

“But Shiro,” Lance said slowly. “What are we…what about you? What are we going to do?”

Shiro gripped his coffee cup, his knuckles turning white. “My brother is your only priority Lance, you leave the rest to me, do you understand?”

Lance had to agree, not only because Shiro looked fucking terrifying right now, but because he agreed. Keith was here now; he was safer here than he ever would be out there. Lance was his owner, and Keith was his one and only priority.

“I will do everything I can to make sure he is safe,” Lance said with such confidence, with such conviction, that Shiro’s scary expression lightened up.

Shiro nodded, placing his cup on the table and pushing his chair back. He looked ready for battle. “There has to be something we can look into, Zarkon’s Auction House will not get away with this. No more.”

Lance held his hands up to the furious man. He knew Shiro was right; they needed to get to the bottom of this, soon, before anything worse happened. They had been lucky with the Keith being well and only mentally scarred, it could have been so much worse. But Shiro was tired, so was Lance. They needed to rest, to recuperate, to understand what was happening before doing anything.

“Shiro. Please. You need to sleep.”

Shiro visibly sagged and settled back onto the chair, taking a sip of his coffee. He wrinkled his nose at the liquid. Lance could understand, coffee usually helped them out, a lot. But now, it just tasted bland. It wasn’t helping like it usually did.

“Yeah, but it’s kinda hard when…” Shiro’s eyes widened and he paused mid-sentence. He picked up his cup, and placed it in the sink. He cleared his throat and turned to the doorway. “I’m gonna go get some rest, I bid you do the same.”

Well, Lance thought to himself. That was odd. What was Shiro hiding?


	18. Chapter 18

Lance watched Shiro leave the kitchen, scratching the back of his head, deep in thought. He wanted to know what was running through Shiro’s mind. Was Shiro holding something back? Was he hiding something? They had promised to be more open with one another about their feelings. But maybe Shiro was just tired.  
  
Or maybe Shiro didn’t know what he was feeling just yet.

Lance could relate.

Keith was bringing up emotions Lance didn’t know he had. He was starting to really get into looking after a Galran. But saying and doing were two wildly different things.

Would he be a good owner…or whatever? To a Platinum grade Galran?

He had looked after his younger brothers and sisters before, and many other children who were distraught, scared, or hurt. But, in the end, those children usually went back home to their parents. He was just a brother, not an…not an owner. It wasn’t like Lance was a sole caregiver to them.

But, he knew what to do, how to act, how to be around Keith. That was common sense in the end, feed him, care for him, make sure he was happy and healthy.

It was the same as child care…except they _had_ kissed…a lot.

But would looking after a Galran be considered the same as looking after a child or even an adult? Or would everything be different to a normal human?

Of course it will be different. Lance reprimanded himself. They wouldn’t be able to do what normal families did. Keith was a Galran. God, he did not want to see Keith having a tantrum. He’d almost killed Pidge when he had been angry and threatened.

And anyway, they couldn’t go out of the apartment because of his injuries. And Lance wasn’t really sure how far Keith wanted to go. He _was_ collared, but…but Lance had seen things, bad things, weird things.

Lance let his head fall back on the chair rest, glancing up at the ceiling he let out a long sigh. The coffee had done its work, he wasn’t as sleepy as he first had been when he stepped into the kitchen.

Might as well think about getting breakfast prepared.

Getting up, he started rummaging through the cupboards and the fridge. It wasn’t as packed out with food as Lance expected. But he doubted Keith would prefer the salads and healthy snacks Lance usually ate, he looked like the kind of dude who liked meat.

Well, they’d have to change that. The quickest way to get better was to rest and eat healthily. Keith was resting right now, but Lance knew he’d be hungry soon. And, once he was healed enough and ready, they would need to exercise those muscles of his.

God, Keith was…

Lance’s fingers twitched in a satisfied heat at the thought of the heat of Keith, of the feel of his tail wrapped around him. He itched to run his fingers through Keith’s hair again, feel his soft ears.

This wasn’t good. He shouldn’t get addicted to that.

Keith would need to have his tail groomed again soon, they hadn’t really done a good enough job before…and maybe change his bandages as well. Lance would ease into that. He’d take care of his Galran.

He reached for some eggs, holding them in his hands and contemplated what to do with them. Maybe a full breakfast was out of the question right now. They didn’t have bacon, or bread for that matter.

They really needed to do a grocery shop soon.

Pancakes?

Perfect, a good, hearty breakfast option for the family, sweet enough for the Galran and filling enough for the rest of his family in the apartment complex.

He cracked a few eggs into a bowl, reached for the bag flour and sugar from the cupboard and got to work. Whisking the batter, he peered up at the cupboards and saw a bottle of maple syrup and chocolate syrup sitting at the very back. Perfect. Falling into a mixing routine, he didn’t notice the small wince behind him, but he definitely heard the slight yawn that escaped from someone’s lips behind him.

Turning, Lance saw Keith standing at the doorway, rubbing his tired, purple eyes, Lance’s hoodie wrapped around his front and held tightly in his free hand.

“Lance?” His voice was gritted with sleep, low and throaty. “Where’d you go?”

Lance placed the bowl onto the table, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Hey there angel, I didn’t expect you to be up,”

“I’m a Galran,” Keith muttered, stepping down the two steps and into the kitchen area. He winced at the cold against his feet and wrapped Lance’s hoodie around his chest.

Lance chuckled. “Fine, you’re a Galran, not an angel, how are you doing?”

“Still hurts,” Keith murmured with a barely there pout, thumb poised at the side of his lips. He’d started gnawing on it, and Lance really should probably try and get something for that. “But not a lot,”

“That’s good,” Lance reached for the Galran and moved him into one of the tables’ chairs. “How do you feel about pancakes for breakfast?”

Keith held the hoodie tighter to his body, his tail twirling and curling behind him. “I’ve never had pancakes,”

“Well, I’m glad to be your first,” Lance smiled at Keith’s innocence, the Galran’s eyes were sparkling. That was the kind of smile Lance wanted on Keith all the time. That was what he wanted the Galran to feel, happy, content and not worried and frightened. “You gotta have some maple syrup on it,”

Keith smiled, nodding and letting Lance take the lead, sitting down on the chair. He struggled to get his injured body and tail comfortably around the back of the chair. It wasn’t easy to do so when his appendages were still tied.

Noticing his struggle, Lance placed the bowl down and turned to the Galran. “D’you wanna help me?”

Keith peered up suddenly and nodded enthusiastically. He vaulted from the chair and stood next to Lance, peering at the concoction in front of them. Lance handed Keith the spoon and bowl and instructed the Galran how to mix the batter without spilling it.

Keith took the spoon and nodded, he carefully mixed the batter in the bowl, while Lance put a frying pan onto the stove and heated it up. Lance watched as Keith worked, his tongue was sticking out of the side of his mouth. Lance found that adorable.

Once the batter was mixed enough, Lance took the bowl from Keith and smiled when Keith looked up at him hopefully.

“You did really good angel,” he said to the Galran as he poured a small portion of the batter into the frying pan.

There was something precious about Keith’s reaction to being told he did something well. He had a small smile on his lips, but his tail and ears wiggled happily. Lance held back a content laugh.

This was really nice.

Why would someone do something like this to such a precious alien? Lance was going to get to the bottom of this and find out just who the monster was, who he was working for, and why he did it. Then he was going to kill that bad guy, dead.


	19. Chapter 19

Lance’s dark blue eyes narrowed, his eyebrows furrowing on his forehead, a frown marring his lips. He stabbed his fork into his pancakes, his mouth working around the sweet maple syrup.

He was not jealous!

He was watching his pet— _Keith_ – with Shiro, who okay, so Shiro was Keith’s brother, and they needed a moment together to get back to the way things were before. But Shiro was sitting next to him, urging Keith to eat. He had almost gotten to the point where he was about to take the fork from Keith’s hand and hold a forkful of the pancakes to Keith’s mouth, motioning for him to eat it.

Keith looked so lovely; his eyes were shining with happiness as he talked with his brother. And Lance couldn’t go against that. No way, no how. He wanted to see his…Keith happy here. He wanted Keith to feel safe.

It was cute to see Shiro finally acting a little less scary, and a lot more like a big brother figure, almost like a father figure. He now knew Shiro had only been acting the way he had been for the past few years because he was worried for his younger brother.

Lance could understand, he knew what it was like to feel dejected, to feel rejected by your own family. To come into a home and know that no one was there, no one was ever there for him.

He was desperate to not have Keith look like that, ever. He would make sure Keith would _never_ feel like that.

So he was surprised when Keith turned his attention to him, watching him with rapt attention, his finger gripping his fork tightly. What was it that Keith wanted?

Surely he didn’t really want Lance to feed him, like he had been fantasising Shiro doing for Keith. But then Keith handed him his fork, pushing his plate closer to Lance, and sitting there on the chair, hands on the edge of the chair, leaning forward, giving Lance _that_ look; the one Lance was finding hard to go against.

He pushed back his toxic thoughts and turned back to Keith. He knew he had to do something about this. He had to make sure Keith understood just how much he was needed, how much his presence meant, how much Lance was willing to do with him, for him.

Keith tugged on his sleeve, pulling Lance from his thoughts. Lance turned to see the smaller Galran holding his fork up to him, prodding it to him, his eyes downcast and a small pout on his lips.

Lance had to remember that this was _his_ Galran, he had full rights with Keith, he was Keith’s caretaker. Keith sat there, and Lance had no doubt that he was feeling the same bout of emotions _he_ had been feeling before. Keith was scared. He didn’t really know what he wanted, he was confused of his own instincts and needs. He needed this, he needed more than Lance was offering him right now.

Lance had to up his game.

“Want me to feed you?” Lance asked, noticing the embarrassment on Keith’s face, his eyes darting away from his face.

Lance took the fork from Keith’s hand and cut a piece of his syrupy pancake. The maple and chocolate mix looked a little too sweet for Lance’s taste, but he only thought the Galran had a sweet tooth. Either that or he really didn’t know food. Lance tried to cut more of the pancakes than the syrup, making it less sweet, but it didn’t do any good. The syrup dripped onto the plate. Lance held his hand under the fork and guided it to Keith’s awaiting mouth.

Keith’s eyes widened in mirth and he opened his mouth and took a bite of the sugary sweetness. Lance watched, enthralled, as the pretty Galran ate, his tied tail flourishing this way and that with, what only Lance could guess, was glee.

“Lance!” He pouted again, opening his mouth. Lance shook his head and cut up another bite, placing his hand under the fork and guiding it again to Keith’s mouth. The syrup dripped onto his palm, but he didn’t care.

Keith was smiling. His gorgeous purple eyes were shining, like the murky depths of the ocean, deep enough for Lance to drown in. Lance knew he was turning into a clichéd love wrecked person. But every time he looked into those eyes, he felt like he was drowning, sinking. Down…down…down…

Lance could hear the quiet, mirthful sighs coming from the Galran, how could he not. His ears had been tuned to the Galran’s voice. Even though this was the first time they had met, the first time they had ever been near each other, Lance knew he’d be able to pick out Keith’s lilting voice from a sea of thousands. That voice made singers who sang pretty songs sound dull and monotonous. Keith’s voice made everything else sound…ugly.

His little smile was luminous, even with his mouth filled with food.

Keith was happy.

And Lance knew, he’d vowed to do anything to make sure Keith stayed this way.

The routine was calming, and soon all of the food was gone. Lance placed the fork onto the empty place and reached for a glass of water. He held it in front of Keith, and instead of Keith taking the glass, he lifted his head forward, wanting Lance to help.

_Spoiled brat._ Lance tipped the glass, letting the water slide into the Galran’s mouth.

But it felt…good. This power, this feeling of looking after another being, of being the sole protector, provider, carer of this being, this Galran. It was something he wanted, something he needed to do.

And he wanted to make sure Keith knew that.

He didn’t care for the rest of his family who were crowding a few feet away from him, watching them intently, or for the fact that he had definitely seen Pidge holding her phone out to them, recording everything.

He was ready and willing to take care of his Galran. And he knew it was going to hurt something awful when Keith finally left him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that Lance is bonding with his Galran, we're going to go deeper into the care aspect of it all before we get down and dirty.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so life's gotten...complicated (I am flat broke and jobless due to...circumstances) so I'm sorry that I'm not as good as I was with the other fics.

Ah crap.

What the hell was he supposed to do now?

Lance felt like he had been asking that question too many times in the last few hours. But it still stood. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

He had tried his hardest to keep the aggravated scream in, but it came out as a frustrated growl, making the Galran next to him jump and stare up at him with those pretty purple eyes of his. Lance shook his head at Keith, watching as he turned back to whatever it was he was reading.

Oh god, looking at the innocent little Galran, sticking his pink tongue out as he turned the page of his book. He had picked it up from Pidge’s room – she had given him a few books for him to read – and he had been so interested in reading all sorts of books.

How were they going to do this?

Suddenly his stomach growled, Keith looked down and his cheeks turned red.

“You hungry?” Lance asked, smirking. Keith nodded. “Alright, stay here, keep reading. I’ll get you something to eat,”

Keith gave him a brilliant smile, his lips stretching wide and his eyes sparkling with happiness. Oh, Lance was so glad Keith had asked for something to eat, if Keith hadn’t, he probably wouldn’t have witnessed the amazing sight before him.

He made his way out of the living room and into the kitchen. He noticed Hunk doing something or another to a pot on the stove.

“Hey man, you doing okay?” He asked, watching Lance open the fridge and take a few things out here and there. He wasn’t sure what to make for his Galran. Keith liked the rice soup, but he couldn’t have that all the time.

Lance placed a loaf of bread and a tomato onto the worktop and sighed. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

Hunk gazed at the simmering whatever it was in his pot, taking a tight hold of the wooden spoon in his hand. “I think you’re doing okay, Keith looks like he likes it here,”

“What’d'ya mean?”

Hunk fiddled with the lid of a bottle of sauce, popping it open and closed as he remembered the look of serene happiness Keith had when he had first seen him. Lying in Lance’s lap, looking so cute and adorable. Though he had quickly turned into a ferocious beast the moment he had seen them.

When he had made his way to the living room moments ago, before he thought to make dinner for the family, he saw Keith sitting on the soda, next to Lance, reading a thick fantasy book, the tip of his tail in his mouth, and head down.

Hunk had tried to say hello to them, but Keith was barely paying attention, so lost in the story.

Pidge made her way into the kitchen, reaching for an apple on the worktop, biting into it and smirking as she chewed.

“Your little Galran looks like a lost puppy looking for you,” they stated, watching closely as Lance’s face fell to worry. “He’s chewing on his tail a little too much too.”

“Ah crap, alright” Lance sliced a knife through the sandwich he had been making for Keith, placing his hands on the edge of the sink as he came into terms with what had happened. “This is…okay, let’s do this.”

Hunk smirked; his best friend was finally acting like a true owner. “You go get your little Galran,”

Shiro’s voice yelled from the room. “ _Son of a bitch!_ ”

A sudden rumble of the ground below them brought them back to the present. There was a sudden high pitched screech, followed by a loud cry. It was coming from the living room.

Lance, Pidge and Hunk vaulted out of the kitchen and to the main room, worry etched on their faces. What if something had gotten in? What if Keith was hurt?

Hunk skidded to a halt, almost crashing into Lance, who had stopped in front of the living room entrance. Hunk peered over and saw the living room was a complete mess, books were all over the ground, the lamp lights were shattered and glass was littered all over the tables.

Keith stood in the middle of the room, sucking on his tail as Shiro held his book in his hands. Keith was on the ground next to him, pieces of ripped paper and shards of glass perched precariously all around him.

“How?” Lance asked, not knowing just how these Galran’s had caused so much carnage is mere minutes. His Keith needed something, anything, to keep him busy so this kind of thing didn’t happen again. He had thought the book was good enough, but apparently it hadn’t been.

Lance didn’t think he could leave Keith for too long.

“Alright,” Lance said, gritting his teeth to hold back his anger. “How the hell did you make this mess?”

Keith shrugged his shoulders, and Shiro took a step back. But Keith complied; rushing over to Lance’s side. He looked up at Lance with those dark eyes, wide. Lance’s gaze softened and he carefully brushed away the bits of paper from his hair and ears.

“Are you hurt?” Lance asked.

Keith shook his head, but didn’t move too far away, or say anything. He instead chewed on his tail, looking down, pouting a little as he did so. He knew he had done wrong, and this was his way of not having a temper tantrum. Well… _the messy room_ was his way of not having a full on temper tantrum.

Shiro placed the book down on the table as Hunk made his way over to him, checking to see if he was hurt. Lance took hold of Keith’s tail, trying to pry it out of his mouth. They really needed to get something for his teeth; he was going to cause nerve damage.

Keith looked away, his pout increasing. “It was Shiro’s fault,” He said quietly and suddenly, stepping away from Lance. “He scared me,”

“I didn’t think he was so into his book, I thought he heard me,” Shiro murmured, helping pick up the books and placing them back in their place.

“I wasn’t…paying attention…” Keith grumbled.

Lance smirked at the childish behaviour, he bee lined for the dustpan and brush in the kitchen and came back to help pick up the shards of glass. This was going to be a long day.

“I think we need to do some grocery shopping,” Pidge said from the kitchen, taking the sandwich from Lance’s hand and gave it to Keith. When Keith didn’t take it – he looked at them, then at the sandwich, then to Lance – they instead they placed the sandwich on the table and stopped at the doorway, turning back to Lance. “God knows what Galran’s can digest,”

“Fine,” Hunk nodded, taking Keith and settling him down on the sofa, handing him the sandwich. He turned to Lance, and smirked. “Don’t forget to get pacifiers, Keith’s gonna suck their tail raw,”

Lance’s eyes widened and he grinned. “I guess I can do that,”

Provided Keith could stay away from him for a few hours. Lance turned around the sofa, settling down in front of him. Keith looked up at him, chewing on the sandwich with a smile on his face.

“I gotta go to the store,” he said to Keith, watching as his face fell a little. “But I’m gonna be right back, okay? You can stay with Hunk and Pidge, _and Shiro,_ okay?”

Keith gave him a little pout, looking at the others surrounding him, and nodded. He could survive a few hours without Lance, couldn’t he?


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its taken so long to get this (and the other fics) updated, been a very stressful past few weeks, and it's not been very friendly to my motivation and overall want to write.

_Target acquired._

Anni eyed the gorgeous man standing in the Galran pet aisle of the grocery store. He was busy looking at something hanging on the shelf, which gave her a chance to actually look at him. His gorgeously spiked up dark hair was ruffled, like he’d been running his fingers through it, his plain shirt was stretched over his hard body, and god damn it, those jeans were perfect on his hot body. His basket was filled with groceries, some vegetables and a few frozen dinners. a large section of the basket was filled with sweets and all sorts of candy, and a few Galran specific things. Looking down at them, she saw many personal items for Galran’s too, meaning this hottie probably had a gold class Galran. And that meant he was wealthy.

A rich Galran owner, score!

Anni checked herself in one of the small mirrors near the sunglasses rack. Dark eyes stared back, plump red lips pouted just right on her pretty pale complexion. Her cleavage was tasteful in her tight tank top, and she was glad she was wearing her tight jeans.

She was looking irresistible tonight.

Time to snag a rich man.

 

 

What the hell is the difference between freeze flow and sanitary flow? Lance grumbled as he scratched the back of his head with his free hand. He reached for a pair of blue teething rings, they felt like leather in his hands, tough enough to withstand Keith’s fangs, hopefully, and turned them around.

Great, now this one said orthodontic…

He put the teether back on its hook and let out a long breath. God, why was this so difficult? He thought it would be better to get something simple, something easy. He knew Keith probably wouldn’t mind what he chose – not that he had any idea _what_ Lance was doing for him. But _he_ was Keith’s owner. He had to make sure Keith was healthy and happy. And honestly, after all the shit Keith had been through, he deserved the best. Nothing less than perfect.

Which was why he had spent the past twenty minutes eyeing the stupid teethers.

He gazed the oddly shaped bottles in his basket, they had tough looking rings around them, and could hold a substantial amount of liquid inside them. The nice shop assistant had helped him out with that, he hadn’t told them he was the owner of a Platinum Galran, but they couldn’t be too different from a Gold, right? And anyway, Lance had a lot of these kinds of things in the box Keith came with, at home.

Mostly, he was here for information.

He saw one that had little stars and a moon on it, dark blue in colour. It looked cute, but badass too. And there were a few other things to match, which he had wanted to get, just for aesthetics, but thought against. It was scary how similar this section looked like the baby and kids aisle a few feet away.

Oh…wait, _oh god._ He felt like he was buying things for a child. No, no, no, this wasn’t…Keith wasn’t his child, and he was definitely no ones’ _daddy!_

Nah, he was just being a prepared owner. He didn’t know if he’d be using this on Keith. But it was better to be safe than sorry. He turned to the sippy cups sitting next to the teethers, they had the same leather like effects on the top, and his thoughts returning to breakfast that morning.

When he had been feeding Keith the pancakes, his angel seemed to be having some trouble drinking water from the glass. Lance could only guess his injuries weren’t allowing his body to move the way it wanted to. Keith’s hands curled around the glass, but they wouldn’t lift up the right amount, or they’d lift up too much and all of the water would fall out on his face.

Lance could only imagine how hard this must be for Keith, a once all-powerful alien race reduced to a pet, a slave. But Lance was honoured to be the one that Keith trusted.

He eyed the sippy cup that had the same blue stars and moon on it and placed it into his basket. Perfect, a matching pair. Now only if it were as simple to get a teether for his pet.

He was having no such luck…

“Hey there,” A soothing, feminine voice said from next to Lance.

Usually Lance would be right in there, a pretty girl paying him attention. But now he had more important things to worry about, he had a platinum pet to care for. Right now, Keith was priority. His family was always first. So Lance barely looked up, too entranced in trying to find the perfect teether for his angel. Would Keith prefer the soft leather, or the one with the bells?

“I couldn’t help but notice you in trouble.” Lance noticed the woman when she all but slid next to him, she was pressed up against his side, her busty chest squashed against his arm. “My names Anni,”

Lance turned and smiled, “Finally,”

_Gotcha!_ Anni giggled, running he fingers up and down Lance’s bicep, her pretty pink lips in a pout. Everyone loved her lips, they always commented on how pouty and perfect they looked, she had been extra careful before leaving her apartment to apply a deep red lipstick. And now that she had ensnared this hottie, she was glad she did.

Lance held up two teethers in his hands, “Which one do you think is better?”

Anni dropped her hand, the man wasn’t interested in her. He was interested in her opinion about teethers? She didn’t have a clue which one was better, they all looked the same to her.

“Do you have a boy or a girl Galran?” She asked seeing the colours. She hoped that with her help, he’d be grateful and ask her out to dinner, and maybe something extra.

“I wouldn’t call him a _boy_ , but yeah, he’s male,” The look on Lance’s face made Anni cave, he looked so in love with his little pet, it was adorable.

“I’d love to meet him,” She tried, if this man was so in love with his pet, then maybe that was Anni’s way in. She could not take it if this hot guy didn’t find her irresistible.

Everyone found her beautiful, her large bust drew everyone’s eyes, all the guys wanted to hang out with her, buy her drinks, take her home with them. Sure she was picky, but when she looked this good, she was allowed to be.

But the man didn’t bother answering her. Instead he manoeuvred her out of the way and reached for the pack of teethers on the corner of the shelf.

“Hmmm, I guess it’s alright.” Lance scrunched up his nose, holding the blue teethers in his hand.

“Oh, really?” Anni asked, wanting to stay in the conversation. He wasn’t paying a lick of attention to her. And she wanted desperately to change that. This guy would not be the first person to reject her!

This guy was way too hot, and she needed someone like him on her to do list.

“Oh yes,” His smirk widened, and Anni felt her heart beat faster. What a smile.

He turned to Anni, and reached his hand out to her. Yes, Anni was ready. She wanted this gorgeous guy to touch her. Nobody could resist her, she wasn’t losing her touch. But he bypassed her completely, reached for just behind her where there was another, god damned, pack of teethers.

“Perfect,” He grinned, seeing the pretty white angel wings on the blue teether. Keith would love these!

“You saved my life Anne,” Lance said, placing the teethers into the basket, “I’ll be sure to mention you to your manager,”

He thought she worked here! And her name was Anni!

She stomped her feet, her eyes narrowing. She didn’t get a chance to say anything, the handsome man had gone.

 

The basket in Lance’s hand was slowly getting heavier and heavier as he made his way to the front of the grocery store. He had gotten the normal everyday groceries, the milk, eggs, bread, and all that healthy crap. And for his pet, he had gotten milk bottles, sippy cups and perfect leather and malleable metal teethers. He bypassed the chokers and sex store-esque section that almost all of the Galran stores had. He wasn’t going into that territory, and anyway, Keith already had a collar. His eyes darted down to the black band around his wrist and he smiled.

Standing in the line to the cashiers’ desk, he double checked the things in his basket, making a mental note to get more things at a later date. He probably should have texted Hunk and had him do a check of the fridge and pantry, he didn’t know what was expiring soon.

But hell, that just meant he’d come back here again in the next few days. Maybe he’d bring Keith along with him next time. Hopefully his injuries would have healed by then. That would be a nice thing for them to do. A little outing. Maybe they’d go get dinner or catch a movie or something along with it.

Honestly, he didn’t want to drag Keith along by his collar, but he had seen many other Galran’s and their owners in the store, they all seemed to be…well _most of them_ were happy. Then again, that just showed how badly they didn’t want to return to the stores.

It made sense, sometimes there was salvation in servitude.

He knew it was pointless to ponder on questions he had no answers to, he hadn’t slept properly last night, worried about his new pet. What with Keith being his pet, and with finding out Shiro was half Galran, and their landlady Allura was his owner. And he didn’t even want to think about how injured Keith had been when they had first sent him. He didn’t know which one would be worse.

Not wanting to think about that now, his gaze turned to the rest of the large shop. The people milling to and fro, the blearing lights, the pop music playing in the distance. And then he saw it.

It was a large bin a few feet next to him, on the cashier aisle over, filled to the brim with stuffed toys. He didn’t know what zoned him in to it, but he saw a fuzzy grey ball hiding among the other fluffy toys and he knew he just had to get it.

Turning to the old woman behind him, he placed his basket on the ground and told her he’d be just a second. He just had to get that toy for his Keith. It was calling out to him.

All but leaping from the line, Lance dug into the soft toy bin and pulled out the fluffy ball. Holding it up, he let out a smile. The fluffy ball was so soft to the touch, Keith would love feeling that material on his skin. It was in the shape of a hippo, with big black bead eyes and pink toes, a large snout with two embroidered nostrils. He looked absolutely adorable, and plush, and large enough for Keith to hold onto when Lance brushed his tail.

_Perfect_. But that image conjured up many others, images of Keith sleeping on his bed, his pretty tail swaying, curled around them both, their legs tangled together, the soft plush hippo between them as they slept together.

Yeah. This was completely perfect.

Wait… _slept together?_ Sure Keith had spent last night in his bed, but was this going to be an every night thing?

Lance’s thoughts returned to Keith the night before, when he had held his hands up at Lance and innocently asked him to stay. And stay Lance did. He made his way back to his space in the line, the old woman standing behind him smiled.

“I think your pet will love it,” She said, motioning him forward.

Lance smirked, not wanting to correct her, because Keith was not _his pet_. He hoped so too.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This weekend was hectic~!  
> It was Eid, and man, I am completely knackered. But I had a lot of fun~!  
> But that also means I have not watched season 6 yet (tonight I will though~!) so oh my word, I don't know what happens (yeah, I do...ish) and I'm quite worried, because a lot of people have been saying its bad, others are saying its awesome. (No klance apparently)
> 
> I'm a Keith stan, so...I think I should be okay...right?

The screaming from the bathroom alerted Lance.

He dropped the grocery bags by the entrance of the apartment, rushed through the living room, seeing Pidge peek her head up and pointed to the bathrooms, Lance nodded to her and made his way to the bathroom down the hall. He almost slipped on the wet ground, wet buy his own footsteps, but he succeeded in opening the door.

The room was steamy and warm, heating Lance’s cool body. He stepped in, unable to really see anything under the steam. The shower head was turned on full, pouring out steaming hot water, making the room all the mistier.

He steeled his breath and made his way deeper into the bathroom room.

“Keith?” Lance called out.

He heard a scuffle at the other end of the room, followed by something being murmured at him in a language he didn’t know.

Determined, he made his way to the Galran, wincing when he banged his shin on the bin in the middle of the room – who the fuck put that there? Fear gripped him. Oh god. What had happened? He had asked for Shiro to help give him a bath and take care of his head wound, but…how had something like that turn into _this?_

“Keith?” He called out again, and that was when he finally saw his Galran. Keith was huddled against the corner, his feet slipping against the tiles as he tried to push himself deeper into the corner, trying to make himself appear smaller. His fingers were gripping at the bandages of his tail, pulling at the wet, sticky heaps on his fur. His other hand was holding onto Lance’s hoodie, pressing the material against his chest.

His tugging was causing his fur and skin to be yanked out and scratched through, there was a small pile of bloody fur around him. Lance reached out, but Keith screeched something in that language again. Lance wished he understood what Keith was saying, but Galran-ese was not something that was taught in school. Instead, he crouched down low, holding his hand out, palm up, to the Galran.

“Hey there, my little kitten,” Lance murmured quietly, making his way slowly towards Keith.

Keith screeched again, huddling himself closer to the tiled wall. He fingers grasping at the top of his severed tail – fuck, it was almost completely severed! There was blood _everywhere_. The bathtub where he was hiding was splattered with the dark red. Damn it, if Lance could only get close enough. Keith had calmed down by listening to his heart beat before, hopefully that would help again. He just needed to get a little bit closer without scaring the man.

He turned back to the Galran to see Keith yanking at the sutures on his sides. He was crying in pain as he scratched at them, causing a pool of blood to fall down his arm and to the ground.

“Keith! Stop!” Lance yelled, startling the smaller man. Forgetting the need to be calm and careful, Lance made his way across the small space between them and pulled Keith into a hug. He forced the squirming man into his lap, pressing his head to his chest.

Keith yelped, clawing at Lance, but as soon as he heard the heavy thud-thud-thud of Lance’s heartbeat, he calmed down. Sniffling and breathing heavily, they sat there for a few long minutes.

“It’s dead,” Keith muttered silently, tears still streaming out of his eyes. His gaze darting back to his bloodied severed tail. “I can’t feel it anymore.”

Lance held him closer, crushing the smaller man to his embrace. Wishing he could just take all of the pain away. He wouldn’t believe it. No. Keith’s tail was not dying. Keith would be able to get back to full health. Lance would make sure of that. He held Keith close, running his fingers through Keith’s damp hair, murmuring nonsensical words in his downtrodden ears, as his pet gently sucked on his neck. The tears were still streaming down his face, but they had lessened somewhat.

He couldn’t imagine what it was like for Keith to think he’d lost something so precious to him. Sure Lance had broken his arms and legs countless of times, but they’d just relocate it, or go to the hospital and everything would be better after taking a shit load of medication.

But they didn’t know who to turn to for a severed tail. Hospitals didn’t care for Galran’s and the pains and injuries they had, so he couldn’t go there. And he couldn’t go into a normal hospital for humans either, though they might have overlooked the purple skin – some might have, he had connections through Pidge after all – they didn’t cater to tails or know what to do with them.

“It’s okay,” Lance murmured into Keith’s hair, rocking him back and forth. “You’re fine, you’re safe,”

Slowly, ever so slowly, Keith’s gorgeous purple eyes, darkened with tears, peered up at Lance, his voice was hoarse and grated when he spoke; “Lance?”

“Hey there, my little kitten,” Lance said slowly, smiling down at Keith. His poor little kitten. “You’re with me now. I’m gonna make it all better,”

Lance lifted Keith up, the smaller man latching on to him, wrapping his arms around Lance’s neck. They made their way to the edge of the bathtub, Lance spying the bandages Shiro had left on the counter. He sat the Galran down on the dampened, warm wood and made quick work of drying and bandaging up that beautiful tail.

It felt like sparks were dancing along his fingertips as he straightened the blood matted fur out on Keith’s arm and tail, unwrapping the sodden bandages and rewrapping him in new, clean bandages. He noticed many of the broken bones had been set, but the overall wounds were still healing.

He reached up for the almost severed and clawed through tail, wincing when he saw the damage Keith had done to it. Thankfully it wasn’t completely severed straight through, there were still frays and claw marks here and there, but at least the tail was still moving, twitching a little in phantom pain. Lance let out a breath, at least tying it together and keeping it steady was working.

But there wasn’t much he could do at the moment, so he carefully dried the blood, applied ointment from where Keith had scratched through the fur and bandaged it up tight.

And to think, it had only been a few mere moments ago that he and Keith had been in the shower, laughing and playing with the falling water. Keith had mischievously stretched out his tail and wrapped it around Lance, while Lance was soaping his legs. He pulled Lance in closer to the waterfall like rain until it sprayed on them both. Hot water and soap had littered all over Lance’s hair and body, but he found he didn’t really mind. Keith’s smile was worth being soaked fully clothed.

It was heart breaking to see the Galran be so sad.

“Lance?” Keith asked, tilting his head to one side.

Lance shook his head, stopping himself from staring at Keith. “Right. Sorry.”

Keith looked away; his fingers splayed over his stomach as Lance aired out the, surprisingly still dry, hoodie and dressed him up again.

“You okay?” Lance asked as he carefully pressed a hand on the base of Keith’s tail, hoping he could absorb the pain Keith had caused on his appendage. He noticed Keith’s hand on his stomach.

Keith nodded his head, letting out a loud yawn. Lance melted, his kitten was still tired.

Rubbing a towel over Keith’s pitch black head, Lance threw it in the hamper at the other end of the shower room and picked his, now dry and bandaged, Galran up. They made their way out of the shower, seeing Shiro in the hallway. Keith let out another loud yawn, and lay his head on Lance’s shoulder, rubbing his forehead against Lance’s neck kittenishly.

“Is he okay?” Shiro asked, watching his brother intently.

Lance chose to tell Shiro about what had happened, and that they’d have to make sure they figured out a way to stop this kind of thing happening again. Keith was harming himself for some reason, and he had done so enough that he may have nerve damage.

But right now, Keith needed to take a nap.

Stepping into his room, Lance saw a small plastic bag on his bed. He placed Keith on the bed and reached for the bag, seeing a package of blue teething ring and the other things he had brought for Keith inside. Lance smiled, taking the teether out of its packaging and rinsing it quickly in the bathroom sink. When he returned back to his room, he saw Keith holding the little ceramic cup in his hand, inspecting the cartoon stars and moon on it. Lance had only got it because it matched with the other things he had gotten for his pet.

He looked up at Lance and saw the teether in his hands, his eyes widened. He looked down at the cup, then back to Lance, seeing how _normal_ he looked about the teether – after all, he _had_ bought it for him.

“I don’t want you to hurt yourself, so I got you a teether,” Lance asked, holding the leather teether out.

“I am not a…I mean I’m not your…just fucking give it,” Keith narrowed his gaze, but held his hand out for his owner to give him the teether.

Lance smiled and made his way over to the bed, giving Keith the teether. Keith took it and inspected the plastic, seeing the picture on the other side, he smiled.

“…I guess it looks okay,” He said quietly, but Lance saw the excitement in his pretty eyes, and watched as Keith tested the teether against his fangs, making sure it was durable enough for his teeth, before closing his eyes happily, sucking and biting at the cool leathery plastic.

Lance’s heart melted, he looked so god damn adorable. Keith let out another yawn, his fingers pressing against his stomach as he reached out for Lance, curling his fingers around Lance’s arm.

“You want something else to drink?” Lance asked, wondering if that was what Keith wanted.

Before Keith could nod his answer, there was a short knock on Lance’s door. Lance peeled Keith’s grip from his arm and got up from the bed. He opened the door to see Shiro holding a fresh steaming cup of cocoa out in front of him. It was in the odd sippy cup that he had bought for Keith, the one with the sucker like top, which would be good for Keith’s teeth.

It looked like a baby bottle. _Oh god, this wasn’t_ like that!

“I, um…Keith really likes cocoa, it helped him sleep when we were at the auction house—” Shiro looked embarrassed, his gaze darting this way and that, not really looking at Lance. “I didn’t know if…well he didn’t…just take it.” He thrust the cup of warm milk into Lance’s hands and turned away. “You’re doing a good job, Lance,”

Lance stared at the cup, seeing the same stars and moon on it, and then turned to Keith, who was eyeing the cup curiously.

“Is that…cocoa?”

Lance sat back on the bed, holding the cup close. The warmth of the liquid was surprisingly soothing. Could he really feed Keith from a cup like this? Would Keith like that? There was only one way to find out.

“Yeah, Shiro said you liked it,” He asked, shaking the cup in front of them.

Keith eyed the cup and nodded. He climbed onto Lance’s lap. Sitting cradled by Lance’s arms, he let his head fall onto Lance’s shoulders and pulled out his teether.

Okay…Lance could do this. It was…normal for an owner to feed their pet, right? That was what owners were supposed to do, take care of their Galran pets, make it so their pet felt loved, safe. Keith was a Galran, he was a _Platinum_ Galran. This was what he wanted, this was what…this was what he needed. Right? Otherwise he’d not have gotten on his lap, looking at Lance like _that_. Like he trusted Lance, like he _wanted_ this.

With that, Lance placed the cups teething nipple into Keith’s mouth, eyeing the Galran curiously as Keith inspected the cup, his eyes darting up to Lance. His smile was rather infectious as he closed his eyes and started sucking. 

It was as if the entire world around them stopped.

This was _his_ pet. Lance thought to himself, he had said it a few times before, but right here, right now. He was sure, Keith was his. His to care for, his to protect, his to keep. Sure he wasn’t perfect, neither was Lance. But he was perfect for Lance, and Lance was now so very sure, that he’d do anything he could to keep his little Galran.

It was so easy to love this man. And Lance knew, if he ever had this chance again, through a thousand lifetimes, across a million stars, Lance would do it again in a heartbeat. He’d never leave him. He truly was falling for Keith.

And that scared him.

What would happen when Keith finally left him?


	23. Chapter 23

Poring through the yellowing paper and spidery handwriting that was given to him in the box labelled ‘Platinum Service’ was giving Lance a headache. The dull pounding was starting to get stronger. He had his laptop on the table beside him, but even that wasn’t helping.

Every time he searched for something pertinent to their situation, he’d be forwarded onto pornographic sites that showed big, burly looking men and pretty little women dressed as animals, in all sorts of ropes and cuffs and leather whips.

God, Lance hadn’t known this was a _thing_. Galran Pets were _normal,_ but they were just pets. No one wanted to…do _that_ with a pet. However, the guy at the store did say he was a little different than usual pets, and the books had an entire section on how to properly satisfy your platinum pet sexually.

Certain kinks he could understand, some people just needed that extra push to receive complete satisfaction, but did that really fall into what this was, this relationship he had created with the Galran Keith? For him to be an actual pet and Lance look after every little thing about him?

Lance of two days ago might not have seen the appeal, but Lance right now definitely saw how it could be something interested to ponder more in. But this wasn’t exactly the same as what the websites showed. That… _that…_ he wouldn’t deny that he was attracted to Keith – he had eyes, and he was a healthy man, with needs – but he…he wasn’t going to go as far as to tie Keith up and…and… _that_ with him.

Quiznak, he couldn’t even say it!

Yes, yes he wanted to…have sex with Keith. He wasn’t going to deny it, but thinking it and saying it was wildly different. Lance peered at Keith, looked deep into those stone purple eyes, and saw the trust and love he showed.

Lance found himself wanting a little bit more than what they were already doing.

This was territory he didn’t want to think about right now. Maybe…when he and Keith got to know each other a little better, and if whenever Keith did decide to leave – or stay, not that Lance was hoping for that…okay maybe he was – If Keith was still interested outside of the owner/pet bond they had created, they could try something. Right?

But that would only happen if Lance could find something to help that process along. He still didn’t really understand what he needed to do with Keith, and it seemed like Keith was running on instincts.

The books and pamphlets in his box only went so far, answering basic questions. And though he _had_ gone to Shiro for help, there was only so much a Gold graded Galran could answer.

Keith needed more. More what, Lance didn’t know.

This wasn’t working at all.

Scrunching his eyes at the text in front of him, the thought to take a short break, looking up he saw Hunk sitting opposite him, a few seats down, an array of books in front of him. The look on his face told Lance he wasn’t having any luck either.

Pidge sat on the seat next to him, pen in hand as they scribbled something on a piece of plain paper, they were so engrossed in what they were doing, they didn’t even notice the graphite marks on their fingers, or even the large one across their cheek.

Shaking his head, Lance turned to his pet and saw Keith wrinkling his nose cutely while trying to reach behind him. What was he doing?

Lance watched as Keith tried to reach his hand around behind him once again, his fingers clenching, his face scrunching up in distaste as he failed his attempt once again.

“What are you doing?” He asked, finally placing the book down and putting his full attention to the Galran.

Keith paused, sagging down and sighing. “My tail is itchy,”

He wrinkled his nose and returned to scratch his tail. It wasn’t that easy a feat, especially with the way the tail was tied and bandaged to his back. It may be best for Keith to heal, but Lance remembered the dull ache when he had dislocated his shoulder and he wanted to scratch. And the satisfaction he got when that itch was taken care of.

Lance held back an “aw”, Keith was so adorable, his little pink tongue sticking out as he tugged at the white bandage wrapped around the tip of his tail. His injured side didn’t allow for him to be able to fully rotate to the side and get to the base, where he was the most itchy.

“You need to change your bandages as well,” Hunk added, not peering up from his book. “You might be groomed, but you look like you have a lot of matted fur,”

“You need another bath too, Keith.” Lance continued, wrinkling his nose at the dried blood that matted the tips of his hair. They hadn’t really had a chance to clean the Galran. Not with the pain, the bandages and the tail itself. But they had to try, the cleaner Keith stayed, the quicker he would heal.

That tail looked like it needed a proper grooming.

“Alright, let’s get you cleaned,” Lance said, standing up.

Keith scrunched his nose, but followed Lance, whatever it took to get those damned bandages off his tail. They were starting to itch like hell, and his fur needed to be groomed.

He glanced back at the tip of the tail, the part that was severed. He had lost all feeling to that particular part. Keith had been so afraid that morning when he couldn’t feel it, couldn’t feel the ache, the pain, would he lose his tail? Would they have to cut it off?

But he found, he could still move it, if only slightly. That was enough for now.

Keith followed Lance to the large bathroom, following Lance’s instructions to sit on one of the large wooden benches. Oh, they were warmer than he expected.

Lance stood directly in front of him, his tall frame hunched down to make him look less intimidating, less of a threat. He knew Keith still thought he was kept prisoner, that he wasn’t out in the real world, that he wasn’t actually there with Lance.

“Wanna help me?” He asked, crouching down in front of Keith, his dark blue eyes gazing intently at those beautiful yellowing purple ones.

Keith nodded, but he sat still, unsure of what to do.

Lance was feeling the same way. How was he supposed to do this?

Keith was looking at him with those eyes. So full of innocence, so full of love. He didn’t want to hurt him. Sucking in a brave breath, he slowly reached out to the Galran, pulling up the hoodie, making sure his tail didn’t snag in the material. His purple tinged skin came to view, and Lance noticed all of the marks and bruises that had been present last night were nowhere to be seen. At least that mean he was slowly starting to heal himself.

Keith let out a frustrated moan, making grabbing hands at the material. Lance placed it carefully on the side, next to where the Galran was sitting. Keith immediately reached for Lance instead, tugging at his shirt.

He was really possessive, Lance mused, but let Keith clutch onto his shirt.

Reaching for his belt, Lance paused. It was one thing to look after a Galran pet, he’d researched on the ins and outs of a Gold graded Galran as soon as he had gotten the chance – there wasn’t much about Platinum Galran’s, which really annoyed Lance. But it was another to look after a person who was physically and psychologically abused. He didn’t want to do anything wrong.

Keith meant too much to him.

His gaze ran to the Galran’s eyes once again, hoping and praying that he knew Lance only wanted to help him, he wouldn’t do anything Keith didn’t want him to do.

“Lance?” Keith’s voice was so low, so sweet, it took all of Lance’s strength not to just reach up there and kiss him. He instead patted his lips on Keith’s forehead, hearing the little Galran gasp.

His fingers reached up to his forehead, his eyes swimming with unshed tears. He immediately bit at the nail of his thumb, needing to gnaw at something, his other hand clutching tighter on Lance’s shirt.

“Lance,” He murmured around his thumb.

Lance stilled. This is what it felt like. The pounding, thrum of his heart beating, the rush of adrenaline in his system, the flash of care and warmth that heated his entire body.

This was worth it.

“It’s alright kitten,” Lance murmured, pulling Keith closer.

Keith rested his head on Lance’s chest, hearing that heavy tha-thump of his heartbeat. It was much more soothing than he had thought possible, especially with the way Lance was running his fingers through his hair and fur.

“Galran,” he murmured, sucking in Lance scent and letting everything go.

“My little kitten,” Lance mused, he pulled Keith back and his fingers reached for that belt again. “I’m going to take your pants off, and we’re going to take a shower,”

“We?” Keith asked.

Lance nodded, unlooping the belt from Keith’s pants and tugging the zipper down. “Yup, I’m not going to leave you in a room with water and soap, all by yourself. God only knows the mess you’ll create,”

Keith pouted. “Lance!”


	24. Chapter 24

Well, it had to happen.

After almost a week full of taking care of his pet Keith, bathing him, grooming him, feeding him, Lance had finally found himself lying on his bed in the most comfortable position he could ever imagine.

Well, anyone would be as comfortable as he was if they had a purring Galran cushioning them from all angles.

He peered through the expanse of purple fur of Keith laying on him, his head on Lance’s shoulder, his arms and legs slung over his body and that stuffed hippo squished between them.

After their shower, where Lance made sure to get Keith all nice and clean – and avoid looking at that amazing figure because _mierda_ , was he cut fine! All perfect abs and thin waist, biteable hips and a vee leading down to…oh god, now _that cock_ was going to be featured in Lance’s dreams for a very long while – and though Keith had leaned up into him, pressing that gorgeous body of his onto Lance’s own wet shirted one – because there was no way in hell _he_ was going to get naked with his Galran, if he did, they’d not make it out of the shower until the water ran cold – and offering himself.

Lance had been quick to work after, saying instead that he had a surprise for Keith, hoping it would deter any thoughts that were running through both of their minds at that moment.

Lance had barely made it into the bedroom, when Keith all but vaulted on him. He wrapped his arms around Lance’s neck, hanging on his back earnestly as Lance held on to him and moved them both to the bed.

Lance had been a nervous wreck when Keith stood dutifully in front of him, like a doleful puppy waiting for a treat. He motioned for Keith to sit still as he made his way back to the kitchen, where he had noticed all of the food he had gotten had been put away, and there was a bag sitting on the counter for him – the one with the other teethers and the hippo he had gotten Keith.

“I got ya something,” Lance said as he walked back into the bedroom, reaching into the plastic bag and wrapping his fingers around the soft tuft of fluff inside. He just prayed Keith would like it.

Keith straightened out his shirt and turned to Lance.

“What is it?” Keith asked, settling himself on the bed, the one he had dutifully made his spot since he had first come into Lance’s life.

Lance made a show of pulling the toy out, but when the big fat grey stuffed hippo made its appearance, Keith’s eyes lit up. He almost squealed in his excitement, his tail swinging up and arching over him. He got out of his seat and hugged Lance.

Lance squeezed him tightly and handed the toy to him. Keith held the hippo to his face, rubbing his cheek against the soft fluffy furry material of the toy. When he heard the muted jingles of it muttering the words ‘I love you’ in a quaint high pitched voice, Keith let out a small chuckle, making the hippo do it again.

Ah…Lance didn’t know it did that…

“D’you like it?” He asked, reaching back into the bag and pulling out the sippy cup and other things.

Keith nodded, squeezing the hippo closer to him once again, but his curiosity was piqued by what else Lance might have in that bag. He tucked the hippo under his arm, not wanting to let go of the toy, and stood next to Lance.

He eyed the sippy cup with the stars and moons on it and smiled.

“Is that for me too?” He asked, leaning down and taking a closer look at the sippy cup and its matching teethers. His gaze faltered at the teethers.

Lance noticed the change in the air, he looked down to see Keith peering at the dark coloured teether, his tail drooping and his eyes wide, shining a bright yellow behind the purple.

Shit, did he not like it? He had taken to the first teether quite quickly, what was the problem with this one?

Damn it, smooth move Lance. What was he going to do now?

“You don’t have to use the teethers if you don’t want to,” Lance tried, flustered as he tightened his grip on the pack of leather teethers in his hands. “I just thought—I mean, I don’t want you to hurt yourself,”

Keith looked up at Lance, eyes still shining that amazing purple. “You…you really don’t mind?”

Lance nodded. “Of course not, you can do whatever you want,”

With that Lance held up the leather teether he had been gnawing on before and held it up to Keith. The Galran was hesitant, but he took the teether and placed it to his lips, slowly sucking and biting his fangs against the tough material.

Lance had to admit, it was odd seeing a grown man so happily sucking on something intended for a cub or a baby. Yet the look of euphoria and calmness on Keith’s face was somewhat satisfying for Lance.

So he didn’t dare question it further. That was what he bought it for, after all.

Flicking on the side light and turning off the main light, he placed Keith down on the bed and settled down next to him. He shrugged off his over shirt and motioned for Keith to do the same. He rifled through his cupboard and pulled out two sets of pyjamas and a shirt. It would be big on Keith, Lance knew, he had a few inches on the man. But, they didn’t have any pyjamas for him just yet.

But that would be another purchase for another day.

Lance helped quickly dress Keith, helping him take off his shirt and, after using scissors to slice a hole in the back of his pyjamas, for Keith’s tail, he helped Keith slip his tail in through the holes. Keith looked dejected at the pyjamas, pulling at the hem.

“You don’t like it?” Lance asked, seeing no problem with the worn outfit the Galran was wearing. Sure the words on the shirt were faded, but they were faded with love. It was washed, and clean.

“I broke your clothes…” Keith murmured.

Lance rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about that, kitten. I’d rather you be warm and happy,”

Keith was still a little forlorn, but he nodded. His tail twitched behind him, but it was still slightly glossy from the grooming Lance had done to them last night. Should he wait until they were a little drier? Or should he groom them now?

Keith answered for him, he settled across Lance’s lap, leaning his head against Lance’s chest. Dutifully, almost in a trance like state, Lance reached for the leather teether, and held it up to Keith’s awaiting mouth.

It took Keith a short while to get into how everything was going to work, he had done it on a whim last night, but this was different. He technically didn’t need it, but he wanted it. And now that he knew Lance didn’t care, he was soon biting away at the soothing sensation.

He did wish for the leather to be a bit more malleable, a bit more warm, and tasting of salt…and whatever cream or lotion Lance used. But he’s live with what he had for now. They’d get to the actual biting later.

Lance’s grip on the Galran tightened, bringing the man closer to him as he watched with awe at this Galran, this grown man, watched him. His fingers had gripped Lance’s own hand, and his eyes were burning with fire, shining that beautiful purple. It was as if the very stars themselves were trapped in those pretty eyes.

Silence fell over the room, the only sounds being the sounds of the Galran gnawing and the quiet muted sounds of the stuffed hippos’ phrases.

Lance didn’t know he needed this, but now that he had this, this exhilaration, this state of harmony within him, he didn’t want to let it go. Right now it was just him and Keith. He knew the rest of his family were milling around the house. But to Lance, this was it; this was what he secretly yearned for, what he needed.

But he knew it wasn’t going to last.

This peacefulness was going to be short lived. Lance had been through enough in his life to know that he should savour this calm before the storm came.

He still had no idea who had hurt Keith, or why he had been hurt in the first place. And who had forced him to go into a grade that had no information anywhere. Was there something Keith would need that Lance just wouldn’t know how to give him?

Lance looked down to Keith, who had fallen asleep, teether still caught in his mouth. Lance pulled the teether slowly from the Galran's mouth, but Keith mumbled incoherently, reaching up and sucking on the teether almost immediately, and snuggled deeper into Lance’s arms.

Lance smiled, and turned, placing his Galran down on the bed. Pulling the covers over his form, mindful of his fresh bandages and almost severed tail.

He vowed to find whoever had done this to them and kill them, dead.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all~!
> 
> Sorry its taken so long to update. I've had a bit of a personal and medical problem that lasted much longer than I thought it would.  
> But now I am finally out of the hospital and ready to write once again. I will be writing as much as I can while I recover so...yay~!
> 
> Sorry for the wait~!

It was hazy, whatever it was Lance was dreaming about.

His body felt like it was floating on the softest of clouds, like he was submerged in warmest of waters. He felt at peace – which was a big step up from what he usually dreamed about. He was so used to his peaceful dreams turning into dark and decrepit, like tar and ash bubbling up from the depths and drowning him.

But everything that was happening in his dream now was…pleasant. And if he thought about it, it was downright pleasurable.

He felt something brushing against his leg, something warm and thin, snaking its way up his leg, wrapping itself around thigh. It was soft, not harsh and strong like his dreams usually had him believe. He felt that same something brushing against the inside of his other thigh, like little flicks of something waving back and forth.

He felt his arms were trapped, but not in a way that scared him, he felt that if he really wanted to, he could move them. There _was_ a weight on him, but unlike the ton he felt against his chest during nightmares, this was a warm and comfortable weight, like a rather heavy comforter.

It was hot, however. He was sweltering, drenched in a heat so wonderful. He really didn’t want to leave. It was like a weird sort of sauna, and he knew if he didn’t pay attention to it, he could stay here forever. There was a slight fanning of heat against the curve of his neck, followed by a wet sensation. Something was pinching and sucking at his flesh.

He craned his neck to the side, wanting to feel more of that odd sucking sensation against his neck. It was pleasant, and hot in a way that made him shudder with want. He needed more of it, and thankfully whatever it was listened to him and sucked all the more harder.

There was something steel like wrapping itself around his front, the warm weight on his body shuffling a little, as if shifting to fit fully on top of him, so he was completely covered. The thin snake whatever it was on his leg tightened, the flicking and swaying increasing and batting lightly against his growing arousal. The weight moved once again, like a wave falling over him, pressing harder into him, as if grinding into him.

_God,_ this was a nice dream.

 “Lance…” a gasping whine against his skin, the sucking turning into something much more heady. Pinpricks of something pressed against the juncture of his neck, wet and hot, the pain wasn’t too bad, like scratching an itch, like nails scoring down your flesh. Pleasant…and so hot.

The voice said his name again, followed by a high pitched whine. Something flickered against his chin, something thin and almost paper like. It pressed against his bottom lip, and he darted his tongue out to taste it. It tasted almost salty in a way, but wiry too. He wanted to bite it.

It was his dream, why couldn’t he?

He grazed his teeth against the paper like material when it landed once again on his lips, trailing his tongue down the thin edge until he reached a thicker, more sweeter tasting piece of heat. There was a subtle metallic taste alongside it, but that metallic whatever it was seemed to be able to move. Snuffling his nose along the heat, he pressed his mouth to the warmth again.

Unable to really stop himself, he bit down against the thicker fleshier part of it, feeling it harden more so than give way. It was such a sweet scented whatever it was, that he dug his teeth in a little more, wanting to break through it if it was possible. His instincts however told him not to bite too hard, so instead he nibbled a little at the salt of it. The weight on his body moved a little, and a gorgeous sound breathed against his ear, saying his name in a long, drawn out moan.

That’s when he felt the thick, grazing suction on his neck increase, and something pinch hard at the flesh of his neck, biting down hard.

Pain.

Well, not a lot of it, but enough to wake him from his dream. His eyes shot open and he saw his Keith lying on his body, felt his tail wrapping tighter and tighter around his thigh. Keith’s breath was hot and harsh against his throat and his teeth were digging deeper and deeper into the curved flesh of his neck.

Through the haze, he noticed he could taste blood on his tongue. And in that moment he knew what he had done.

He had actually _bit_ into his pet!

Oh god. What the hell had he done?

He tried to move away from Keith, wanting to apologise for just how awful, how disgusting he had been. Keith didn’t…he…what was he doing? He gazed down at Keith, seeing him breath ragged through his nose, his body moving, jostling up just that sweet bit that Lance needed to feel a hot friction against his growing arousal. Keith’s fangs weren’t dug as deep now, but he was instead sucking hot and harsh against his skin, mewling as he tried to take whatever he needed from Lance.

Thankfully he hadn’t broken skin. Not like Lance had.

Lance tried once again to move him, keeping him away to apologise. He had violated his pet in his sleep. But Keith’s grip tightened on Lance, arms wrapping around his body, legs tangling together, and fangs digging in.

Lance gasped. Oh god, he didn’t know he had a biting kink.

“Kitten…” he wheezed. “You…uh…you doing okay?”

Keith didn’t move away from tasting Lance’s skin as he mewled out Lance’s name. His breath was still just as ragged and rough, and his tail tightened all the more. His body moved in a wave, swaying over Lance’s body in a way that made the Cuban pant and harden to an almost pain. His hands wrapped around Keith, fingers itched to grab tighter, to cradle Keith’s head and let him bite and suck and lick, let him take whatever it was. And maybe, if he allowed himself to, maybe he’d lean down a little, press a kiss to those pouting lips and fall into a completely new haze.

He didn’t know how long Keith had been doing this; he had thrown away the teether during the night and found something else to chew on. Lance could feel the metal ring of the leather teether dig into his arm, now that he thought about it.

He knew he was going to have a wicked mark on his neck, a hickey that would take a long while to go away. But Keith was enjoying himself, whatever it was he was doing, what with the way he was moaning and mewling sweetly. His Keith had been through so much, so for now, _just_ for now, – though Lance knew that was a lie straight away – he was going to let Keith do whatever it was he needed to do.

When Keith would finish, they would get up. And Lance would ignore the teasing his family would most definitely bestow upon him after seeing the mark on his neck. And then, when Keith was fed and happy, Lance was going to either go back to the books, or he was going to corner Shiro and ask for more information.

But for now, settled into the haziness of the dewy morning light, the warmth of Keith, the sharp feel of his fangs grazing his skin enough to cause tremors in Lance and send fire through his body, and the absolute _rightness_ he was feeling.

He didn’t care to think what biting Keith and having Keith bite him _meant._

He was…just…going to…enjoy himself…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aahh...Lance...you should really read up on your Galra etiquette...


	26. Chapter 26

He had bit his Keith.

Lance had bit his _Galran_ pet.

On the neck!

What the fuck did that mean? Was he going to be taken away by the Galran police now for hurting a Galran? Was Keith going to stay away from him? Was Keith scared of him now? Lance really needed to read up more on this whole thing. There had to be something out there about biting and just what it meant. But right now, he was feeding his Galran breakfast.

Lance had made a small plate of eggs and bacon for himself, Pidge and Keith and had sat down on his spot at the table. Keith had stood next to him, eyeing the empty chair at his side, and then to Lance, and then back to the chair again. Making his decision quickly, he easily plopped himself down onto Lance’s lap. Lance jumped at the suddenness of his Galran on his lap, his cheeks bursting a bright red.

He revelled in the feel of Keith’s warm back pressed against his chest, the way he was leaning a hand between Lance’s long legs, the other reaching for his plate. His bandaged tail rose up and wrapped around Lance’s waist, pulling himself closer as he held the plate to his chest, and stabbed a fork into the eggs.

Keith was acting a lot more clingy than usual. And though Lance didn’t mind – how could he with someone so absolutely gorgeous draped over him – Pidge was starting to give him a look that meant they were weirdly disgusted with what they had to deal with while eating breakfast that morning. They sighed into their eggs, prodding their fork into the yolk until it broke, muttering something under their breath as they scrolled through their tablet.

Well, he couldn't help it. This was Keith acting all clingy and adorable. He knew he should be a little freaked out by this, but he couldn't find it in him to feel anything but content. Which was weird. He sucked in a breath when he noticed the reddened mark against the curve of Keith's purple tinged neck. Thankful it was hidden a little by the thin black band that made his collar.

Oh god. He had bit into his…his.... _pet!_ And now Keith was acting like this. It must have meant something to Keith that Lance wasn’t really sure about. If this was a human to another human, then Lance was sure he’d only playfully bite into the neck of his partner during an intense make out session or something. Either that or he’d bite into some attacker to get them to stop attacking him or something.

But this wasn't something like that was it? He and Keith weren't lovers...were they? And anyway, he had bit into Keith while they were both sleeping. Sure he could argue that Keith had started it with the sucking and the sweet sensations of biting – he was still flushed red at the thought of finding out he had a fucking biting kink, who would have thought? – and licking his skin. He had just reacted...though why he  _bit back_ was a mystery to Lance, why when he had a gorgeous and pliant body above him, willing and grinding down against him.

But he couldn’t. Keith was…was…well, _was_ he following his instincts? Was this a Galran thing, or a platinum pet thing?

His thoughts quickly reverted to the silver suitcase in the box he had gotten from Marmora, the one with the sex toys in it. There had been ropes and ties and gags and vibrators and that weird bulbous _thing._ Did Keith bite him because he wanted a relationship with him? One that was _that_ kind of relationship?

God, Lance couldn’t even _think_ it.

He had already resigned to feeling something for the gorgeous man on his lap, he wasn’t sure if it was love, but it was definitely a big fat like as more than a friend – God, he was being a _child! –_ and that was where the problem lay. Did Keith actually like him back, or was he only following instincts? If it was the former, well, Lance wouldn’t hold himself back. But if it was the latter, what exactly did Keith expect from him?

He was interrupted from his thoughts by a fork pressed to his mouth. Looking down he saw Keith holding a forkful of bacon rashers to his mouth, expecting him to eat it. Lance shook himself from his thoughts and smiled, taking the bite and thanking Keith.

Pidge snorted, rolling their eyes as they tapped away at whatever it was that they were doing on their phone. Their glasses were shining from the glare but that did nothing to hide the black bags under their eyes. Lance had the thought of telling them to take a break. He knew better however, the last time he had asked for Pidge to get away from whatever they were doing, they had yelled at him.

He instead cleared his throat and reached for his fork in Keith’s hand. It was better to just eat breakfast for now. Everything else could be sorted through later. He’d just have to get to the bottom of it _after_ breakfast.

Shiro appeared through the arched doorway, saying a quaint hello and making his way to the coffee machine. Lance cocked an eyebrow, he hadn’t expected Shiro to wake up so late, he was usually one of the first ones up. Something must have happened last night. Lance hoped it wasn’t the conversation they had had that had kept him up. He still wasn’t sure just what to think about the whole sippy cup and teether thing. Keith was not an actual dog, neither was he a child. But he had taken to the items with such aplomb.

And it had felt _good_ to take care of him like that.

Lance didn’t count that as a kinky thing. No way. This wasn’t…he wasn’t Keith’s _daddy!_

 _Yeah, he was just Keith’s_ owner _._

Lance sighed, biting into a strip of bacon. He eyed Shiro as the larger man sat in the empty space next to them. Lance had expected Keith to move from his spot on his lap, but Keith seemed content to stay.

“Seems like you two are getting close,” Shiro said with a smile, taking a sip of his hot coffee.

Lance was so close to rolling his eyes at the man, but held back. He nodded instead, wishing and praying that the thick foundation he had caked onto his neck was hiding Keith's bite mark enough that they others wouldn’t notice it. Thankfully, with Keith still technically bruised up – though he was slowly getting better – the bite mark Lance had left on him could be filed away with the numerous other injuries he had.

It still made him shudder whenever he caught a glimpse of it.

Unfortunately, Hunk was a little too perceptive when it came to something like this. He entered the kitchen, intent on getting something from the fridge. But, as if he had some kind of telepathic powers that sensed disturbances in the air, he turned and faced Lance directly.

At first Lance thought he was going to comment on the whole ‘Galran sitting on your lap’ thing, but no, he had pointed to Lance and Keith and gasped.

“You bit him?” He asked incredulously, clasping his hands together and gushing – Lance was sure there were hearts in his eyes, but that could have just been the light. “Oh my god, we need to celebrate!”

“What are you talking about?” Lance asked, leaning back away from the others in the room, he pressed a hand to where he knew the bite mark was, and tilted his head to one side, hoping to hide it. But he knew it was too late.

Pidge had noticed, and it was difficult to get them to let anything go. They placed their plate to the side and got up on the table, crawling over it until they were leaning as close as possible to the two of them. Keith growled at their closeness, holding a fork up just in case they chose to attack him or Lance – okay, so that shit was adorable! – but when he saw they weren't a threat, he returned to his food.

“Oh my god,” Pidge gasped, adjusting their glasses to get a better look at the thick, reddened bite marks on Keith’s neck. They were slightly raised, and turning a darker purple as the hours ticked by. “You actually did it!”

“What?” Lance asked, shrugging his shoulders. He wished he could just shrug this off as if it was nothing, but with the way they were acting, he knew this meant something. And that it was something big.

God, he wished he had read up a bit more on the whole ‘Galran etiquette’ thing he had glossed over yesterday. He didn’t think he needed it so quickly.

_Stupid Lance!_

Hunk settled in front of them both, reaching out to lightly pet against Keith’s ears. The Galran growled a little, but let the large man stroke at his ear. “You’re like…married now or something,”

Lance’s eyes widened.

“ _WHAT?_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahaha....ha....


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all~!  
> Sorry its taken a while to update again.  
> I'm trying to find a good time to write more frequently. So hopefully I should be quicker with my updates.  
> Don't quote me on this though!
> 
> A little history on Shiro...

Married…

Married.

“ _Married?_ ”

Flabbergasted was cutting it loose. Lance was downright insane with confusion. He felt like he was having an out of body experience right now. Like this was some kind of dream or vision that he was privy to. Because there was just no way that Hunk was right. Lance looked down to the gorgeous Galran sitting on his lap, stabbing his fork into the almost finished breakfast and eating joyfully, as if there wasn’t complete insanity running amok around him.

_Fuck, he was so adorable. His eyes, his ears, his soft hair...and his tail....oh god..._

No. Focus Lance. Daydreaming was what got you into this mess in the first place. He needed to focus. And _not_ on the way Keith was sitting on his lap, looking so very adorable, and hot – like how the fuck was that even possible? – as he ate his food.

Shiro sat down opposite them, placing his cooling coffee onto the table. He leaned in a little close to both Keith and Lance, eyeing the thick purpling mark on Keith’s neck, and the barely visible one on Lance’s neck. That make up was so easy to see through.

“Kind of,” he stated, knowing he was going to have to explain this to the two. Hey _had_ done something that was…well, it was way too early for them to even consider something like this. Shiro knew all about the intricate details that came with a platinum pet, and he also knew that once a Galran went platinum, it was damn near impossible to get him to fall down a grade.

It was easy for Silvers and Bronzes to rise up the stupid ranks that made them what they were, or fall in some cases, and Golds were the best in the field. Only topped by Platinum. Though many saw Platinum to be a punishment. Everyone knew it was better to die than to become Platinum. To be tortured and under the very control of your basic primal urges. To be nothing but a  _pet._

There had only ever been _two_ Platinum’s Shiro had ever seen. One was a beautiful, pure Galran woman who had broken out of the auction house and worked alongside the resistance. Last Shiro had heard, she had fallen in love with a human man and that she was finally free and  _very_ happy. But that was a good twenty years ago.

So he knew just what to expect, just what a Platinum Graded Galran wanted. Though it was sick, and twisted, it was what they were now. They were tortured and abused, brainwashed and hypnotised into seeing everything that was happening to them as right. Some even _believed it._ It was impossible to really brainwash a full blooded Galran, even a half breed like Keith had moments where they were back to the way they were after a while. But the situation still stood. Galran’s _needed_ to be cared for, they _needed_ their pride, their family. And, though Shiro hated to admit it, they needed their owners.

Shiro was at a rough demise when he was with the Auction House. He was a fighter Galran, a soldier, though a sick and injured one at that, he was still a soldier. And he had become champion in the House, fighting and duelling and killing if he had to. He was not going to let anyone hurt him or his only family again.

He had met a human, a pale, simple human with beautiful eyes and thick glasses. Adam. _His Adam._ He had worked for Marmora, not knowing what it really housed deep in its dark depths. But whenever Shiro emerged from the House, broken bruised and bloodied, Adam had taken care of Shiro. He had seen to him when he had lost his arm, talked to him when he was at his lowest, laughed with him whenever he was anxious about Keith. Adam was scared for him, and Shiro had fallen for him. Deeply.

It was only when Adam had been forced to see just who Shiro _really_ was, the monster that bitch Haggar and that bastard Zarkon had forced him to become. That Adam had been scared _of_ Shiro. He had taken one look at him, seen the rage and the animal fury that made Shiro the Champion, and he had been scared. Though Adam had tried to stay, he had tried to make a stand for what was right. He had promised he’d get Shiro out “ _if not me, then someone, but I promise, you’ll be out of here._ ”

But, in the end, it had gotten just way too much for him, his Adam, and he had run.

Shiro didn’t blame Adam one bit. Glad instead that Adam was finally out of there, out of the cold, dank darkness that made the House what it was.

Though it ached, deeply. With the loss of Adam, Shiro had found Allura. And beauty had fallen into his harsh, scarred hand. She had cared for him similar to Adam, but there was something so soft about her, so sweet, so regal. She had taught him things he had never thought were possible for him to know. Things that he had heard of, fantasised about.

And then she had bought him, cared for him, _loved him._ And she had bit him, and he had bit her right back.

So he _knew._

But he had spent months with Allura at the House, and years after as her pet. He may only be a Gold Graded Galran, in need of much, but not as much as a Platinum. But he got everything he needed as her Galran, as her pet, and as her lover. So, for both Keith and Lance to have bitten one another so quickly. It didn’t bode very well.

“Marriage is a fickle thing.” Shiro explained carefully, noticing everyone else sitting down around him, like they were his children and he was telling them a story. “Humans make up and break up so easily,”

Lance nodded. His parents were happily married and his family were well loved and cared for. But there had been a time when his parents were rough, financially on the rocks, stressed out and shoving blame on him because they were weak for a moment. So yeah, he understood just how fickle marriage really could be.

Shiro took a sip of his cooling coffee, knowing everyone was leaning into listen to him, breaths bated and eyes wide. Shiro almost laughed, to think he had gone from being tormented and forced to fight, to kill, to being in such a loving and caring family. All because of one person.

“But what you’ve done,” he continued, placing the coffee cup down harshly on the wood table, making everyone jump. “This is far more of a commitment than some mere marriage,”

Lance feared that. He had expected this to be something, but not _that._

“Wh…what does that mean?” Lance asked, confusion and worry. His first instinct telling him that this could be something he wasn’t worthy of.

Shiro sucked in a breath, pushing the cup to the side and leaned in closer to Lance, his eyes fierce and determined. “You _cannot_ leave him,”


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all~!  
> So, I've got back into the swing of 'Job-Me' once again, but thankfully I have found a routine, so I will be updating more frequently!
> 
> Let's just see what is going through Lance's head, shall we?

_Okay._

Lance took in a deep, fortifying breath. He could do this. Yeah, he could handle what Shiro just said. He was a grown up, for quiznak sakes. He was a mature adult, with mature adult thoughts---wait, well okay, so that’s not entirely a lie. But what he meant to say was that he knew what he wanted out of his life, he knew what expected from his future.

Nah, scratch that. He had no idea what his future as going to hold for him now. Maybe he had known all those days ago, but that all seemed like a fleeting glance now, back to his life where he was doing okay in class, learning to be an astrophysicist and a star pilot. He was already part of the Garrison and he was doing so well there.

But, hell. He had gotten married in a matter of minutes to a Galran after all. He hadn’t even known he had done it, or what it was he was doing in the first place. It wasn’t like there was a book on Galran etiquette and manners out there for consumer consumption. Other than the box he had in his box.

Like, what did they expect him to do? Go through the massive ton weight book he had been given with the other stuff? What self respecting person actually did that? It was like reading the terms and conditions before playing with a new toy? (Yeah, he had just called Keith his toy...quiznak, where was his mind _going?_ ) He wasn’t really one to read all that, not when he had such other interesting things to look at.

Like the gorgeous Galran sitting on his lap.

He knew what he had known from the news, and those stupid adverts that came on the television that showed all types of Galran’s and what they were good for with a human owner. He had sneered in disgust whenever he saw them. Who knew he would _be_ one of them?

But, none of them _ever_ advertised a Platinum Graded Galran. And what little he had learned from being dunked head first into owning one – being _friends_ with one, he corrected himself – and the little of what Shiro had told him in their barely there conversations, it wasn’t a lot to go on.

However, his complaint still stood, they should definitely have this marriage stickler up at the very front, in large fluorescent colours so his dumb ass could see it and know what not to do.

_Do not bite your Galran._

Then again, who _would_ bite their Galran? No one actually bit a pet, did they? It wasn’t like you could look at these purple furry creatures and think ‘yeah, I’m going to take a nice big, sexy bite out of this one’.

…yeah, okay, so maybe _he_ wasn’t the best advocate for that. Considering the first thing he had wanted to do since he had seen Keith sleeping on his bed was to touch him all over and kiss him…a little…oh who was he kidding, kiss him a _lot!_

It wasn’t like Keith was stopping him. He was all gung ho about the kissing, and the biting, and the touching and sitting on his lap and being all sexy and cute and so _god damn_ gorgeous it should be a crime. What with his mewling’s and little panting breaths when Lance had bit him. The way his body moved, the way his heat was burning, smouldering and singeing right into Lance’s soul.

Oh god.

This could just be a Platinum Pet thing. That had to be it. He didn’t think he ever saw Shiro act like this around Allura. Then again, maybe they kept this kind of stuff behind closed doors. Hell, Shiro didn’t wear a collar, did he? Lance had never seen it, and he couldn’t see it now either.

So yeah, maybe the collar thing was a _Platinum_ thing? Or maybe it was just a Keith thing? Like, maybe Shiro had a collar too, maybe Allura kept it hidden, ready for whenever Shiro wanted or needed to wear it. But…the collar didn’t come off, did it? He hadn’t been able to take the leash off his wrist, and the collar looked to be locked fast.

Allura didn’t have the black band around her wrists like Lance did. Lance had never seen a leash on her wrist either. So maybe, Shiro _hadn’t_ been collared yet? Maybe he _didn’t_ want to be collared.

And Keith did? Keith had looked like he desperately needed Lance to collar him. He had been writhing and wanting when he had sat on his knees in front of Lance, stretching his neck and demanding Lance collar him.

Lance couldn’t imagine Shiro doing that with Allura. But…then again…

God, this was all getting so confusing!

Lance really needed to do some research on the whole grading system. Because that box he had gotten with Keith only worked to confuse him all the more. He had definitely been distracted by the sex toys and whips that was for sure.

But like he was saying, he could handle this.

_Never leave Keith’s side._

Now, that wasn’t exactly a hard task. Keith was gorgeous, and hot, and pliant, and beautiful, and lovely, and did he mention Keith was gorgeous? Sure he was a little hot headed, and had that whole ‘maim first ask questions later’ thing, but they could work through that together.

Wait, was he really thinking of actually _staying married_ to Keith?

His mum was going to kill him. He could hear her now. _Papito!_ You’re getting married so young without even telling your mama? How could you? Who are they? Are they good for you? Why haven’t I met them before?

He paled at the thought. What if his mama didn’t like Keith? What if she took one look at Keith, and told Lance to break it all off? After all, it was definitely difficult to hide the fact that his husband was _purple_ after all. Would his mama even understand?

Ah quiznak. This was getting out of hand. His thoughts were all over the place. He really needed to just sit down and think about what he was going to do.

_“You can never leave him,”_

Shiro had given him an intense stare when he had said that. His eyes had been like steel, he had been so serious it had caught Lance completely off guard. But Shiro was right, whatever they had done, he really couldn’t just leave Keith now.

That was kind of daunting now that he thought about it.

Was there even a Galran divorce? And if there was, would that mean he’d never get to see Keith again? Would Keith return to the store and be bought by someone else? Or would he be classed as used or damaged goods? Oh god! He really didn’t want to think about that.

No. No. Lance was not going to let Keith go back to that awful place. No matter what. If Keith wanted to leave, he was just going to have to leave as Lance’s pet. _Or husband…_

It may have only been a few days since Keith had come into his life, but he had definitely made a space deep inside the very centre of Lance’s heart. And he was most likely going to stay there whether or not he stayed with Lance.

 “Okay,” Lance said defiantly, taking the moment to really think about what he was agreeing to, what he had _already_ agreed to. _He_ had been the one who had purchased Keith, _he_ had been the one who took care of Keith, _he_ had been the one who put the collar on Keith and _he_ was the one who had bit Keith.

Keith was his, as much as he was Keith’s now.

“Okay?” Shiro asked, looking a little shocked, though there was a small smile at the corner of his lips. He leaned back on the table and let out a breath. “Alright then, welcome to the family, Lance.”


End file.
